Arthroscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Hamstring Tendon Graft: Comparison of All-Inside and Outside-in Techniques

Background: Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most common injuries in patients referred to the emergency and orthopedic clinics. Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACLR) is one of the knee surgery methods used nowadays. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the results of the ACLR with the hamstring tendon using all-inside and outside-in techniques. Patients and Methods: This descriptive analytical study was conducted on 40 patients with anterior cruciate ligament rupture referred to Imam Hossein hospital, Tehran, Iran, during 2009 - 2011, who were under the ACLR with the hamstring tendon graft using all-inside and outside-in techniques. The Tegner Lysholm knee score questionnaire was completed for the patients to study the current clinical and functional status of the knee. Data were analyzed by the SPSS software version 7. A P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The mean ± SD of the Tegner Lysholm knee score scale in the outside-in and all-inside groups were 91.5 ± 3.6 and 88.4 ± 2.1, respectively which was not statistically significant. It was also observed in both groups that 3 patients lost their ability to participate in sport activities. Conclusions: There are no significant differences in the ACLR with hamstring tendon using the outside-in and all-inside techniques in terms of clinical and functional and also returning to the previous sport activity.