Wylie et al listed factors that can result in failure of a primary anterior cruciate ligament surgery. The authors are from the University of Connecticut and University of Utah.
Patient selection: primary anterior cruciate ligament surgery
Failure may be manifested as:
(1) stiffness and arthrofibrosis
(2) instability
(3) pain
(4) failure to return to sport
(5) dissatisfaction with outcome
Risk factors for failure:
(1) infection
(2) meniscal injury (instability, pain)
(3) bony malalignment (instability)
(4) chondral injury (pain)
(5) joint degeneration (pain)
(6) concomitant ligamentous injury (instability)
(7) graft impingement and errors in tunnel placement (arthrofibrosis, instability)
(8) traumatic graft failure (instability)
(9) failure of fixation (instability)
(10) graft tension and isometry (instability)
(11) failure of graft incorporation (instability)
(12) early surgery (stiffness)
(13) prolonged immobilization(stiffness)
