ACL Revision: Clinical Evaluation, Magnetic Resonance and Return to Sports one Year after Surgery

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a series of patients one year after an ACL revision with clinical evaluation and MRI, to consider their condition before returning to sports activities. METHODS: A descriptive, prospective and longitudinal study was performed. A series of patients who underwent an ACL revision between March 2014 and March 2015 were evaluated after one year post surgery. They were evaluated using the Lysholm score, IKDC, Tegner, artrometry and MRI (3.0 t). A signal pattern and osteointegration was determined in the MRI. Graft signal intensity of the ACL graft using the signal/noise quotient value (SNQ) was also determined to evaluate the ligamentatization process state. RESULTS: A total of 18 male patients were evaluated with a mean age of 31 years old.Average scores were: Lysholm 88 points, IKDC 80 points, Pre-surgical Tegner 9 points and postoperative 4 points. Artrhometry (KT1000) at 20 newtons showed a side to side difference of less than 3 mm in 88%. Only 44% of patients returned to their previous sport activity one year after revision.The MRI showed a heterogeneous signal in neoligaments in 34% of patients. SNQ showed graft integration in only 28%. Synovial fluid was found in bone-graft interphase in 44% of tunnels, inferring partial osteointegration. The heterogeneous signal was present in 50% of patients who did not return to the previous sport level activity. (Fisher statistics: p = 0.043) There were no meaningful differences in patients with auto or allografts. CONCLUSION: Although the clinical evaluation was satisfactory, only 44% of patients returned to the previous level of sport activity one year after the ACL surgery. The ligamentatization process was found in 28% of knees evaluated with MRI one year later. Partial osteointegration is inferred in 44%. Results showed a meaningful relation between the signal of neoligaments in the MRI and the return to sport activity in said series of patients. MRI is a useful tool to consider the return to sports one year after the ACL revision.