Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair Using Suture Tape Augmentation: A Case Series of 29 Patients With Minimum 2-Year Follow-Up

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate clinical outcomes and patient-reported outcomes of patients who underwent primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair using suture tape augmentation.

Methods: Patients with a proximal tear of the ACL who underwent primary ACL repair with a minimum 2-year follow-up were included. The exclusion criteria included multiligamentous knee injuries, midsubstance tears, tibial avulsion fractures, and distal tears. Demographic characteristics, injury pattern, concomitant injury pattern, and patient-reported outcome measures were recorded. Patients were evaluated at a minimum 2-year follow-up for clinical success, defined as stability not requiring revision ACL reconstruction, and for patient-reported outcome measurements. Failure was defined as the need for revision surgery.

Results: The mean follow-up period was 2.8 ± 0.9 years. Thirty-five patients met the inclusion criteria, with an average age of 32.2 ± 7.2 years, and 2-year follow-up was obtained for 29 of these patients. Revision surgery was required in 2 of the 29 patients (6.9%); successful treatment was achieved in the remaining 93.1%. The Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation score and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for the 27 successfully treated patients were recorded, with 70.4% having Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores of 80 or greater.

Conclusions: This case series shows that primary surgical repair of proximal ACL tears using suture tape augmentation results in a low rate of revision surgery.

Level of evidence: Level IV, prospective case series.