Long-term results after primary augmented repair of proximal tears of the anterior cruciate ligament with the Kennedy-LAD - Does it work?

Background: The purpose of this study was to objectively evaluate the clinical functionality of the knee joint 30 years after surgical augmentation of the ACL with the "Kennedy Ligament Augmentation Device ®" (Kennedy LAD®).

Methods: The patient collective consisted of 41 patients with an average age of 59.51 years (±10.18 standard deviation). Included were all patients treated operatively with a Kennedy LAD® augmented reattachment of the ACL at the Department of Trauma Surgery between 1983 and 1985. The state of the knee joint was evaluated with the following measures: Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Lysholm Score, Short Form (36) Health Survey, International Knee Documentation Committee Score (IKDC, objective + subjective form) and Tegner Activity Scale.

Results: Seven patients (17%) sustained a re-rupture of the Kennedy LAD® augmented ACL after a mean time of 16.28 years. Five of them underwent revision surgery. Another four patients (9.76%) showed an ACL insufficiency in clinical examination. The average IKDC Score was 74.14 ± 16.62, the average Lysholm Score was 86.83 ± 14.10, the average Tegner Activity Scale was 4.34 ± 1.11, and the average Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score was 86.25 ± 11.64 at final follow-up. The mean Kellgren Lawrence Score of the operated knee was 2 ± 0.71.

Conclusion: An overall good outcome 30 years after primary ACL augmented repair with the Kennedy LAD® with an implant survival rate of 73% could be reached. These results therefore support the trend of ACL augmentation in selected cases.

Level Of Evidence: Retrospective study, Level IV.