Long-term followup of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the quadriceps tendon substitution for chronic anterior cruciate ligament insufficiency.

At The Hospital for Special Surgery, the quadriceps tendon substitution (QTS), as described by Marshall, was performed for ACL insufficiency from 1973 to 1980. A review of the initial 60 patients with a minimum of 4 years followup (average, 5.5 years) has been concluded. Thirty-eight patients returned for examinations, and 11 returned questionnaires. Associated medial procedures were performed in 29 of the 38 examined patients. Medial meniscus surgery was performed in 86% and lateral meniscus surgery in 28.9%. At followup, giving way, which was the main preoperative complaint, was eliminated in 30/38 examined and 9/11 questionnaire patients (79%). In the examined group, three patients were clear failures and five had mild transient instability. The pivot shift was present in 17 of 38 (45%) patients examined: 21 patients were negative, 9 were 1+ or a grind, 8 were 2+, and none were 3+. We have concluded that the QTS procedure will eliminate symptomatic instability in 79% of our patients, but the high rate of a residual pivot shift (45%) and symptoms of instability (21%) require the addition of an extraarticular sling procedure. This appears to be related to the relatively poor strength characteristics of the tissue used in the QTS substitution.