Purpose
To investigate the biomechanical function of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) remnants
in ACL-deficient knees with both partial and complete tears.
Methods
Twenty partial ACL–deficient (group P), 20 complete ACL–deficient (group C), and 40
contralateral ACL-intact knees were examined. The end point during the Lachman test,
side-to-side differences of KT-1000 measurements, and the pivot shift test were evaluated.
Additionally, the side-to-side difference of anterior tibial translation during the
Lachman test and the acceleration during the pivot shift test were calculated using
an electromagnetic measurement system (EMS).
Results
The end point was found in 9 patients in group P, whereas it was not detected in group
C. In KT-1000 measurements, the mean side-to-side differences were 3.8 ± 2.4 mm in
group P and 5.4 ± 2.3 mm in group C. There was a significant difference between these
2 groups (P < .05). In the pivot shift test evaluation in group P, one patient was evaluated
as grade 0, 17 patients as grade 1+, and 2 patients as grade 2+. In group C, 10 patients
were evaluated as grade 1+, 9 patients as grade 2+, and one patient as grade 3+. Using
the EMS, mean side-to-side differences during the Lachman test were 3.1 ± 2.1 mm in
group P and 7.2 ± 3.2 mm in group C. The anterior-posterior displacement in group
P was significantly less than that in group C (P < .05). In the quantitative pivot shift test, the mean acceleration in the contralateral
ACL-intact knees was −632.7 ± 254.5 mm/s2, whereas it was −1107.5 ± 398.9 mm/s2 in group P and −1652.2 ± 754.9 mm/s2 in group C. Significant differences were detected between the 3 knee conditions (P < .05).
Conclusions
The quantitative assessments of knees with partial ACL ruptures during the Lachman
test and the pivot shift test using the EMS showed less laxity than did knees with
complete ACL tears, whereas their laxity was greater than the contralateral knees
with intact ACLs.
Level of Evidence
Level III, diagnostic study of nonconsecutive patients.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 22, 2013
Accepted:
February 12,
2013
Received:
July 5,
2012
Footnotes
The authors report that they have no conflicts of interest in the authorship and publication of this article.
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
