A Comparison of Results in Older, Middle-aged, and Younger Patients after Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Minimum 10-Year Follow-up
Kyoung Ho Yoon, Se Min Lee, Jae‐Young Park, Hee Sung Lee, Sung Hyun Hwang
Abstract
Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is commonly performed to prevent decreased knee function and restore stability in middle-aged and even older patients. However, few studies have compared the long-term clinical outcomes of ACL reconstruction between older, younger, and middle-aged patients. The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term clinical outcomes of ACL reconstruction in older patients with those in younger and middle-aged patients. Methods: A total of 352 patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction between January 2003 and March 2008 were retrospectively reviewed and classified into three groups (group A: 246 [age, 20-29 years], group B: 72 [age, 40-49 years], group C: 34 [age, 50-65 years]). The mean follow-up period was 14.2 ± 1.6 years. Clinical outcomes were evaluated and compared between groups. Results: = 0.048). Conclusions: Although graft failure rates were higher in older patients than younger and middle-aged patients, clinical outcomes of ACL reconstruction in older patients were comparable to those of younger and middle-aged patients in terms of the range of motion, clinical scores, and stability tests at a minimum follow-up of 10 years.