The Clinical Outcomes of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery Based on Iatrogenic Damage: It Has Not Justified Yet

OBJECTIVES: To examine the degenerative changes of adjacent cartilage and bony structure, after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery. METHODS: 27 subjects, who had anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery due to various reasons at least 12 months ago, were admitted to study. MRI data of patients were acquired retrospectively. Pre-operative and post-operative MRI images were compared according to retropatellar cartilage thickness, evidence of any new osteophytes formation or any signal intensity change on bony elements. Paired statistical analysis was applied. RESULTS: The MRI revelation showed that; there were 14 patients with decrement of retropatellar cartilage thickness, 9 patients with new osteophytes formation and 21 patients with abnormal signal intensity change on bony elements; which were statistically significant (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: These results provide basic information about the degenerative effect of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery, on adjacent cartilage and bony structure.