Double-bundle Versus Single-bundle Anterior Cruicate Ligament Reconstruction: A Prospective Controlled Clinical Trial

Objective: To compare the short-term clinical outcomes of anatomic double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with that of single-bundle reconstructions.Methods: Twenty-five patients with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament deficient knees were unrandomly divided into two groups. In group A (n=9), double-bundle reconstruction were performed. In group B (n=16), Single-bundle reconstruction was performed. All operations were done by the same orthopedist with hamstring tendon autografts. Each patient underwent Lachman test, anterior drawer test, pivot-shift test and all the tests included in the. International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) knee examination form by two different examiners preoperatively, 3 months and 6 months postoperatively. IKDC knee examination forms were filled by the examiners. IKDC subjective knee evaluation form and Lysholm scale were also filled by the patients themselves at the same time.Results: No intraoperative and postoperative complications were experienced in each group. There were no significant differences of the examination results and scores between the two groups preoperatively. At 3 months postoperatively, all the results were better than those of preoperatively. There were no significant differences of IKDC subjective knee evaluation form results or Lysholm scales between the two groups (P=0.463 and P=0.938, respectively). There were no significant differences of Lachman test results, anterior drawer test results or pivot-shift test results between the two groups (P=0.058, P=0.636 and P=0.182, respectively). There were no significant difference of IKDC knee examination form results between the two groups (P=0.197). At 6 months postoperatively, all the results were better than those preoperatively. There were no significant differences of IKDC subjective knee evaluation form results or Lysholm scales between the two groups (P=0.185 and P=0.587, respectively). There were no significant differences of Lachman test results, anterior drawer test results, or pivot-shift test results between the two groups (P=0.107, P=0.636, and P=0.100, respectively). There were no significant difference of IKDC knee examination form results between the two groups (P=0.093).Conclusion: On the basis of these results, in short terms, there were no significant differences between double-bundle and single-bundle reconstructions about the clinical outcomes. And there were no significant differences of anterior stability, rotational stability or subjective evaluation between double-bundle and single-bundle reconstructions. Double-bundle reconstruction can not improve the short-term clinical outcomes. It may depend on the follow-up period. Long-term outcomes should be observed.