Contaminant anterolateral ligament rupture does effect anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction outcome

Purpose To evaluate the anterolateral ligament (ALL) injuries associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury by MR imaging and to investigate the effect of ALL injury on ACL repair results. The hypothesis of our study is as follows; injured ALL, has no effect on functional outcomes after ACL repair Methods We retrospectively reviewed the MR images of 62 patients who underwent ACL repair (with at least two years follow-up) between 2012 and 2016 in our clinic. In terms of ALL, patients were divided into two groups one as healthy (normal) and the other as damaged (abnormal). Patients not being treated for ALL had only one band anterolateral (anatomic) ACL reconstruction performed. Groups were assessed by knee score and Lysholm score test of the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) for functional outcomes. Results During the study it was found that 36 of the study’s patients (58%) were accompanied by anterolateral ligament injury. Of these patients with anterolateral ligament injury, 6 of the patients had a segond fracture observed (10%). ICDC scores were recorded on the final follow-up; A and B were found in the ALL intact group, and A and B in the ALL tie group. Excellent-good results in the ALL intact group and excellent-good results in the group with an average 92.2 (86-100) ALL rupture were 91.4 (82-100). IKDC, Lysholm scores were satisfactory in both groups, but there was no significant difference between the groups (p: 0.186, p: 0.680). Conclusion ALL injury associated with the ACL rupture does not functionally affect the repair results, even if not repaired