Effect of Meniscal and Focal Cartilage Lesions on Patient-Reported Outcome After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

BACKGROUND: The effect of concomitant intra-articular injury on patient-reported outcome after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is debated. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of meniscal and articular cartilage lesions on patient-reported outcome 2 years after ACL reconstruction. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: The study included all patients with primary, unilateral ACL reconstruction registered in the Norwegian and the Swedish National Knee Ligament Registry from 2005 through 2008 who had completed the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) Knee-Related Quality of Life subscale at a 2-year follow-up (mean ± SD, 2.1 ± 0.2 years) after surgery (n = 8476). Multiple linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations between each KOOS subscale (Pain, Other Symptoms, Activities of Daily Living, Sport and Recreation Function, Knee-Related Quality of Life) as the measure for patient-reported outcome and meniscal and cartilage lesions. RESULTS: A total of 3674 (43%) patients had meniscal lesion(s), 1671 (20%) had partial-thickness (International Cartilage Repair Society ICRS grades 1-2) cartilage lesion(s), and 551 (7%) had full-thickness (ICRS grades 3-4) cartilage lesion(s). Multiple linear regression analyses detected no significant associations between meniscal lesions or partial-thickness cartilage lesions and the scores in any of the KOOS subscales at the 2-year follow-up. Full-thickness cartilage lesions were significantly associated with decreased scores in all of the KOOS subscales. CONCLUSION: Patients with concomitant full-thickness cartilage lesions reported worse outcome in all of the KOOS subscales compared with patients without cartilage lesions 2 years after ACL reconstruction. Meniscal lesions and partial-thickness cartilage lesions did not impair patient-reported outcome 2 years after ACL reconstruction.