Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament. A 5-year follow-up of 89 patients.

In all, 112 consecutive patients were operated on because of chronic insufficiency of the anterior cruciate ligament. The surgical procedure used was an intraarticular reconstruction using the medial third of the patellar ligament. Eighty-nine patients were reexamined 5 (2-11) years after the reconstruction. Eighty percent of the patients were satisfied, but most of them had discontinued strenuous sports. The best results were observed in individuals with normal demands on their knee function.