Abstract: Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the commonest sports injuries, which often markedly reduces activity and hamper the quality of life. The choice of graft material for ACL reconstruction plays a vital role in outcome but still there are conflict about graft selection for ACL reconstruction. The use of peroneus longus tendon autograft is a recent evolution in the field of ACL reconstruction.
Objective: To evaluate the functional outcome of arthroscopic isolated ACL reconstruction by peroneus longus tendon autograft.
Materials and Methods: This prospective interventional study was included 20 patients with isolated ACL injuries and were treated in the guise of arthroscopic reconstruction by peroneus longus tendon autograft. Lachman test, anterior drawer test, Lysholm score and Tegner activity level score were used to assess functional outcome; American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score & Medical Research Council (MRC) grading used to assess donor site morbidity. Final outcome was assessed at 9 months post-operatively.
Results: Pre-operative Lachman test was positive grade 3+ in 70% cases which were improved post operatively and negative in 95% cases, anterior drawer test was positive in 100% cases pre-operatively while post operatively at final follow up majority (95%) were negative, Lysholm score improved from 56.85±7.30 to 92.35±6.12, preoperatively which was poor in 85% cases while were good or excellent in 95% cases at 9-month follow-up. Tegner activity level score increased from 2.95±0.94 preoperatively to 6.91±1.21 at the final visit. The mean AOFAS score at 9 month follow up was 96.75±5.711, 95% had good or excellent AOFAS score on final post-operative evaluation. MRC grading of eversion and first ray plantar flexion were grade 5 in majority (85%) of study patients at final follow up.
Conclusion: Isolated ACL reconstruction by peroneus longus tendon autograft have excellent functional outcome with the advantage of easy to hervest, larger graft diameter and least graft complication.
