Full recovery of near complete tear of anterior cruciate ligament without surgery: a case report

INTRODUCTION: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the region where spraining or tearing is most prevalent when the knee is injured. Complete ACL ruptures have a much less favorable outcome without surgical intervention. Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) is a relatively safe substance widely used for regenerative therapy. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 43-year-old female patient visited our clinic with Rt. knee pain after slipping, which she rated as 7/10 on a numeric rating scale. DIAGNOSIS: She was diagnosed as having a near complete tear of the ACL at the femoral attachment, partial tear of the lateral collateral ligament. INTERVENTIONS: Ultrasound-guided PDRN injections were carried out 5 times at intervals of about 2 weeks. OUTCOMES: At 3-month follow-up, the patient demonstrated an improvement in knee symptoms (numeric rating scale 0) and ROM without any complications. Even after 2 years and 5 months since the diagnosis, she has been doing her daily life well without any pain. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of successful PDRN injection for near complete tear of ACL and partial tear of lateral collateral ligament without surgery.