Abstract. Introduction. The aim of this study was to determine which factors affect a professional footballer's return to play performance level after ACL reconstruction (ACL-R). Additionally, to report their playing performance at 2 and 5 years post ACL-R compared to their preinjury performance. Methods. A retrospective review of a consecutive series of primary ACL-R undertaken in professional footballers between 2005 and 2019 was undertaken. Performance was determined by the number of minutes played and the league level compared to their pre-injury baseline. Playing time (minutes) was classified as same (within 20%), more, or less playing time for each season compared to the one year prior to surgery. Results. Two hundred footballers (mean age 24.1 ± 4.2 years) were included. 194 (97%) returned to professional football. At 2-years after ACL-R 61% of footballers were playing in the same/ higher league, 29% were playing in a lower league and 10% were not playing. At 5-years this was 35%, 37% and 28% respectively. Forty-six percent of footballers were playing the same or more minutes as pre-injury at 2 years post-surgery, 51% were at 3 and 4 years but this reduced to 45% at 5 years. The presence of >50% thickness chondral pathology, ACL-R lacking lateral extra-articular tenodesis and age over 25 years at surgery were all significant risk factors of worse performance rates after ACL-R. Conclusion. While professional footballers achieved high initial RTP rates after ACL-R, with the majority returning to pre-operative levels of competition, significant decreases in performance rates were noted over time

Abstract. Background. Performing lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) with ACL reconstruction may conflict with the ACLR femoral tunnel. Methods. 12 fresh-frozen cadaveric knees were used: at 120 flexion, an 8mm ACLR femoral tunnel was drilled in the anteromedial bundle position via the anteromedial portal. A modified Lemaire LET was performed using a 1 cm-wide iliotibial band strip left attached to Gerdy's tubercle. The LET femoral fixation point was identified 10mm proximal / 5 mm posterior to the LCL femoral attachment, and a 2.4-mm guide wire was drilled, aiming at 0, 10, 20, or 30 degrees anteriorly in the axial plane, and at 0, 10, or 20 degrees proximally in the coronal plane. The relationship between the LET drilling guide wire and the ACLR femoral tunnel reamer was recorded for each combination. When collision with the femoral tunnel was recorded, the LET wire depth was measured. Results. Tunnel conflict occurred at a mean LET wire depth of 23.6 mm (15–33 mm). No correlation existed between LET wire depth and LET drilling orientation (r=0.066; p=0.67). Drilling angle in the axial plane was significantly associated with the occurrence of tunnel conflict (P < .001). However, no such association was detected when comparing the drilling angle in the coronal plane (P=0.267). Conclusion. Conflict occurred at as little as 15 mm depth. When longer implants are used, the orientation should be at least 30 degrees anterior in the axial plane. Clinical Relevance. This study provides important information for surgeons performing LET in combination with ACLR

Abstract. Introduction. Anterolateral procedures can reduce the risk of re-rupture after ACL reconstruction in high risk patients however, this effectiveness has never been evaluated in elite athletes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of lateral extra-articular tenodesis in reducing revision rates in ACL reconstructions in elite athletes. Methodology. A consecutive cohort of elite athletes between 2005 and 2018 undergoing ACLR reconstruction with or without modified Lemaire lateral extra-articular tenodesis were analysed. A minimum of 2 years of follow-up was required. The association between the use of LET and ACL graft failure was evaluated with univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Results. 455 elite athletes (83% male; 22.5±4.7 years) underwent primary ACL reconstruction with (n=117) or without (n=338) a LET procedure. Overall, 36 athletes (7.9%) experienced ACL graft failure including 32 (9.5%) reconstructions without a LET and 4 (3.4%) with a LET. Utilization of LET during primary ACL reconstruction reduced the risk of graft failure by 2.8 times with 16.5 athletes needing to be treated with LET to prevent a single ACL graft failure. Multivariate models showed that LET significantly reduced the risk of graft rupture (RR=0.325; p=.029) as compared to ACL reconstruction alone after controlling for age at ACL reconstruction and gender. Including graft type in the model did not significantly change the risk profile. Conclusion. The addition of LET in elite athletes undergoing primary ACL reconstruction reduced the risk of undergoing revision by 2.8 times

Aims

The aim of this study was to compare the preinjury functional scores with the postinjury preoperative score and postoperative outcome scores following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery (ACLR).