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Surgery for ACL deficiency in patients over 50

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

To compare the outcomes of arthroscopic ACL reconstruction procedure in 20 middle-aged patients (12 men and 8 women) and 20 subjects younger than 30 years (control group) at a minimum post-operative follow-up of 24 months.

Methods

Pre- and post-operative anterior–posterior laxity was assessed by Lachman test, pivot shift test and KT1000 arthrometer at manual maximum stress. Clinical functional evaluation was assessed according to IKDC Committee (IKDC) subjective knee form, IKDC ligament standard evaluation and Lysholm score.

Results

At 2 years, all variables significantly improved in both groups compared to pre-operative values (P < 0.05), with non-significant intergroup difference.

Conclusions

When faced with ACL deficiency, physiological age, condition of the knee at the time of examination, life expectancy and activity level are probably more important than chronologic age. In the present study, arthroscopic surgery for the management of ACL tear and secondary lesions provides comparable clinical outcomes in middle-aged patients and in patients aged below 30.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Arthroscopy and Sports Trauma Surgery, Hesperia Hospital, Via Arquà 80/b, Modena, Italy

    Leonardo Osti

  2. Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Biomedico University of Rome, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, Rome, Italy

    Rocco Papalia, Angelo Del Buono, Francesco Leonardi & Vincenzo Denaro

  3. Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Mile End Hospital, 275 Bancroft Road, London, E1 4DG, UK

    Nicola Maffulli

Authors
  1. Leonardo Osti
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  2. Rocco Papalia
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  3. Angelo Del Buono
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  4. Francesco Leonardi
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  5. Vincenzo Denaro
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  6. Nicola Maffulli
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicola Maffulli.

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Osti, L., Papalia, R., Del Buono, A. et al. Surgery for ACL deficiency in patients over 50. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 19, 412–417 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-010-1242-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-010-1242-x

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