Anterior cruciate reconstruction with the ABC carbon and polyester prosthetic ligament.

Twenty-one knees with isolated chronic deficiency of the anterior cruciate ligament have been treated by reconstruction using the ABC carbon and polyester bioprosthetic composite ligament; 16 were reviewed at an average of 34.6 months. The Lysholm score indicated a good or excellent result in nine knees (56%) with a score of 84 points or more, a fair result in one (65 points or more) while four patients (25%) had a poor result ( < 65 points). The ligament failed in two cases. There were two failures in one patient, and one ligament was removed because of deep sepsis. In the remainder, 14 patients, a positive pivot shift was identified in 13 preoperatively and in three patients at review. These results are similar to those reported recently by others. We have stopped using the ABC carbon and polyester ligament in isolated anterior cruciate deficient knees.