Effect of timing of surgery on the functional outcome of ACL reconstruction using hamstring graft

This study was conducted on 30 patients suffering from ACL deficiency. Nature of the injury in our series was road traffic accidents in 16 (53.3%); sports in 6 (20%) comprising 74% of the patients. Giving way was the main present - ing symptom (100%) in our study. Evaluation with Lachmann test under anaesthesia equates with arthroscopic evaluation (100%). All the cases underwent arthroscopic ACL reconstruction with quadrupled Hamstring tendon autograft. All were given Wilk et al,. rehabilitation protocol for a period of 6 months from post-operative day 1. And the results were evaluated periodically at 16 wks, 20 wks and 24 wks. 87% of the patients were able to return to pre injury level of activity. Anterior knee pain in 6 patients; Swelling in 5 patients were the complication encountered in our study. Group I patients had better IKDC and Lysoholm score test results when compared with GROUP II patient. . The majority of ACL injuries (~70%) occur while playing agility sports and the most often reported sports are basketball, soccer, skiing, and foot- ball. An estimated 70% of ACL injuries are sustained through non- contact mechanisms, while the remaining 30% result from direct contact1,2. ACL injury is most prevalent (1 in 1,750 persons) in patients 15- 45 years of age 2 . More ACL injury cases occur in males due to greater numbers of male sports participants; however females have a higher risk of being injured. NCAA statistics found that female athletes are 2-8 times more likely to sustain an ACL in- jury playing sports 2,3 . The Anterior Cruciate Ligament is the weaker of the two cruci- ate ligaments and therefore it may tear easier than the Poste- rior Cruciate Ligament 4 .Anterior knee instability associated with rupture of the ACL is a disabling clinical problem. The ACL has a poor capacity for intrinsic repair. Thus patients who have knee symptoms related to ACL deficiency, may consider ligament re - construction as a means of stabilizing the tibio-femoral joint and restoring high level function of the knee joint.