Patient Post-Op Function Similar in ACL-Intact and ACL-Deficient Knee Surgery
For Immediate Release
November 14, 2021
Dallas – A study presented at the 2021 AAHKS Annual Meeting examined whether the status of a patient’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) affected their function and recovery after unicompartimental knee arthroplasty (UKA) surgery, using the Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) to assess well-being as measured by the patient.
Lead author Kevin D. Plancher, MD, MPH, and co-authors Jasmine Brite, BS, Karen K. Briggs, MPH, and Stephanie C. Petterson, PhD, included patients who underwent UKA for isolated medial osteoarthritis. They compared patient postoperative function following UKA in patients with either an intact ACL or deficient ACL. PASS, defined as the highest level of symptom beyond which patients consider themselves well, and the Knee injury Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) were used to determine outcomes.
Researchers found that PASS was achieved in 87% of knees in the ACL-deficient group and in 85% of the ACL-intact group, similar to statistics on total knee replacement surgeries. Fixed-bearing medial non-robotically assisted UKA resulted in 97% survival at 10 years in both the ACL-deficient knee and ACL-intact knee.
In conclusion, the ACL-deficient cohort results were not significantly different from the ACL-intact knee for all measures of outcomes. Understanding PASS will allow better communication between surgeons and patients to improve of care for knees with single compartment arthritis.
This study received the AAHKS Surgical Techniques and Technologies Award during the 2021 Annual Meeting. This award recognizes outstanding advancement in surgical innovation within reconstructive surgery.
Abstract: https://meeting.aahks.org/wp-content/uploads/2021-FINAL-Printed-Program-Book-pages-48.pdf
####
About the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons
Established in 1991, the mission of AAHKS is to advance hip and knee patient care through education and advocacy. AAHKS has a membership of over 4,000 surgeons and other hip and knee health care professionals.
