• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2008

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical results of the patients who underwent radiofrequency thermal shrinkage (RFTS) for treatment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) laxity after ACL reconstruction. Material and Methods: From October 1999 to March 2006, we performed 133 cases of ACL reconstruction. Among them we experienced 16 patients who had the laxity of reconstructed ACL in second look arthroscopy. Mean follow-up was 20.4 months. Mean age was 33.5 years. 12 cases were male and 4 cases were female. The elongated ACL were treated by bipolar radiofrequency energy with an output of grade II. Subjective and objective parameters were utilized in analyses, such as: the mean range of motion, Lysholm knee score, Tegner activity score, Lachman test, IKDC score. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to perform the data analysis. P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Postoperative mean Lysholm knee score (preop: $82.2{\pm}5.2(77{\sim}85))$ (P=0.04), postop: $85.2{\pm}4.8$(82-90)) and anterior displacement by the Telos stress test (preop: $5.4{\pm}4.6(3{\sim}10)mm$, postop: $2.1{\pm}1.9(0{\sim}4)mm)$ (P=0.02), Lachman's test, and IKDC scores (P=0.04) demonstrated significant differences statistically compared to the preoperative. There were no statistical differences in mean range of motion, Tegner activity scale. Conclusions: Arthroscopic shrinkage for the ACL laxity after ACL reconstruction with radiofrequency device showed good clinical results and was applicable operative technique.