The Effect of Aging on Outcomes after Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Older (≥ 50 Years) Versus Younger (< 50 Years) Patients

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes after posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction in ≥ 50-year-old patients. METHODS: This retrospective case-control study reviewed 28 patients (age, ≥ 50 years) who underwent PCL reconstruction from 2004 to 2018. These patients were 1 : 1 matched to < 50-year-old patients by sex. Clinical, radiological, and survivorship outcomes of the patients were assessed at the final follow-up. Failure of PCL reconstruction was defined as the requirement for additional surgery (revision PCL reconstruction, high tibial osteotomy, or arthroplasty) due to unrelieved symptoms or grade III instability on stress radiographs. RESULTS: The mean follow-up periods (± standard deviation) in < 50- and ≥ 50-year-old patients were 3.9 ± 1.0 years and 3.6 ± 1.9 years, respectively (p = 0.583). In < 50- and ≥ 50-year-old patients, the mean International Knee Documentation Committee scores were 64.1 ± 10.3 and 53.5 ± 17.3; mean Lysholm scores were 81.4 ± 13.0 and 66.3 ± 21.5; and mean Tegner activity scores were 6.1 ± 1.4 and 4.8 ± 1.7, respectively (p = 0.032, p = 0.018, and p = 0.016, respectively). Side-to-side differences in posterior translation on Telos stress radiographs at the final follow-up were 4.4 ± 1.4 mm and 6.9 ± 3.0 mm in < 50- and ≥ 50-year-old patients, respectively (p < 0.001). According to Kaplan-Meier analysis, the failure-free survival rates of both groups were significantly different in the follow-up period (p = 0.014). The failure-free survival rates for < 50- and ≥ 50-year-old patients were 100% and 78.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical, radiological, and survivorship outcomes were inferior among ≥ 50-year-old patients after PCL reconstruction. Thus, surgeons should be careful when deciding and performing PCL reconstruction in patients 50 years old or over.