A comparison of results in middle-aged and young patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the results after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in middle-aged and young patients. From our database (including 604 patients with a follow-up rate of 95%), we extracted all the patients over 40 years of age (group A, n = 30) and compared them with a group of patients from the same material, aged between 20 and 24 years (group B, n = 37). The groups were comparable in terms of the male:female ratio and surgical techniques. The follow-up was performed by independent observers. The median follow-up period was 31 months (range, 22 to 60 months) in group A and 38 months (24 to 60 months) in group B (P =.014). Before injury, the Tegner activity level was 6 (4-9) in group A and 9 (4-9) in group B (P <.001). At follow-up, the Tegner activity level was 5 (3-9) in group A and 6 (3-9) in group B (P =.032). At the follow-up, there was no difference in terms of the Lysholm score, which was 91 (37-100) and 89 (38-100) points in group A and group B, respectively. Using the IKDC evaluation system, 10 patients (33%) were classified as normal, 12 (40%) as nearly normal, 6 (20%) as abnormal, and 2 (7%) as severely abnormal in group A, compared with 8 (22%) normal, 18 (48%) nearly normal, 10 (27%) abnormal, and 1 (3%) severely abnormal in group B (NS). The 1-leg hop quotient was 90% (52-167) in group A and 93% (70-118) in group B (P =.056). The KT-1000 measurement showed an anterior side-to-side laxity difference of 2.0 mm (-4 to 8.5 mm) in group A and 2.0 mm (-2.5 to 8.0 mm) in group B (not significant). The middle-aged patients were subjectively more pleased with the results than the younger patients. There were no differences in either early or late complications between the groups. At the index operation, 11 of 30 patients (37%) in group A and 1 of 37 (3%) in group B had cartilage lesions or degenerative changes (P <.001). Age does not appear to disqualify middle-aged patients with symptomatic ACL tears from undergoing reconstruction.