Re-revision ACL reconstruction may impact return to sport level

Key takeaways:Re-revision ACL reconstruction was associated with improvements in stability and patient-reported outcomes.However, rates of return to sport at pre-injury level ranged from 12.5% to 80%.

According to published results, patients who underwent re-revision ACL reconstruction had low rates of return to sport at their pre-injury level despite improvements in stability and patient-reported outcomes.

Researchers used Medline, PubMed and Cochrane databases to perform a systematic review of 15 studies that reported on 399 patients who underwent re-revision ACL reconstruction with minimum 2-year follow-up. Researchers assessed patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and return to sport rates.

Patients who underwent re-revision ACL reconstruction had low rates of return to sport at their pre-injury level. Image: Adobe Stock

Overall, researchers found PROs improved preoperatively to postoperatively. Mean preoperative Lysholm scores ranged from 38.4 to 73.15, while mean postoperative Lysholm scores ranged from 68 to 87.8. However, researchers determined patients undergoing re-revision may have a low likelihood of returning to sport at their pre-injury level. They found rates of return to sport at pre-injury level ranged from 12.5% to 80% across all studies.

Researchers also found functional outcomes among patients who underwent re-revision were inferior compared with outcomes from patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction. They noted concomitant knee pathologies were more prevalent among patients who underwent re-revision compared with revision and primary procedures.

Researchers concluded patients undergoing re-revision ACL reconstruction should be cautious about their expectations for returning to sport at their pre-injury level.

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