Demographic data and clinical outcome
mucoid degeneration, knee pain, pain
MUCOID DEGENERATION
Twenty patients (range 22–73 years) with isolated MDACL who were treated between 2018 and 2022 were included in this study. All patients had previously experienced an unsuccessful conservative treatment over 6 months. Ten patients were treated with partial resection (Group I) and 10 patients with complete resection of the ACL (Group II). All patients were diagnosed by MRI and partly by arthroscopic biopsy with specimen taken during the surgical procedure. Among the 20 patients 9 (45%, Group I: All patients (100%) presented with knee pain, which was most severe at flexion and located posterior. Preoperatively, 19 out of 20 patients had a stable knee with a negative Lachman test (grade I), only 1 patient in Group I showed a slight elongated Lachman test with a firm stop during examination (grade II). At the preoperative examination, range of motion displayed restricted flexion in 15 out of 20 patients with a mean flexion of 119° ± 10° (range, 90–130°; Group I: 119° ± 12° vs. Group II: 120° ± 8°; ns). Extension deficits were not found in the patient cohort.At final follow-up with a mean of 16.8 ± 8.8 months (range 12–41; Group I: 18.3 ± 9.7 vs. Group II: 15.3 ± 8.0; ns), all patients were pain free.Postoperatively, positive Lachman tests were noted in all patients (100%) in Group II (The mean knee flexion at follow-up examination was 132° ± 7° (range, 120 – 140°; Group I: 129° ± 9° vs. Group II: 135° ± 4°; ns). In pairwise comparison, flexion angle increased significantly in both groups (Group I: Clinical and radiological outcome parameters of all patients with mucoid degeneration of the ACL before and after surgery at follow-up and subdivided into Group I (ACL shrinking) and Group II (complete resection of the ACL)Results are shown as mean ± standard deviation