• Full Name: ADRIAN BARRERA FLORES
• Affiliation/Institution: Clinica Cemtro
• Country: Spain

Background:

Reconstruction of an anterior cruciate ligament rupture (ACL) has very high rates of excellent results, however when comparing plasty revision surgery (RLCA), these results are unfavorable with dissatisfaction upon return to sport. Just as the specific studies in the RLCA literature are relatively smaller compared to primary repair.

Methods:

Bibliographic review on ACL revision surgery and a retrospective systematic review of a series of patients operated on from the RLCA from 2010 to 2025 with a minimum follow-up of two years by a single medical team at Clínica CEMTRO, and reporting the rate of return to sports activity, with the hypothesis that the result of the revision of the ACL reconstruction compares unfavorably with the historical result of the reconstruction of the primary ACL.

Results:

A total of 167 athletes operated on in a 15-year period (2010-2025). With an average age at the time of surgery, it was 29.9 years old, 86.5% men and 13.4% women, and 64.1% had ACL plasty leaks due to trauma new. With a return to sport at the same level by 67.1%.  In the surgical report, the chondral lesions found in the medial femoral condyle were grade 0 in 44.7% , grade I in 14.9% , grade II in 31.3%  and grade III in 8.9% ; with respect to the lateral femoral condyle, grade 0 was 67.1% , grade I was 16.4% , grade II was 14.9%  and grade III was 1.4% ; of the patellofemoral joint, grade 0 was 53.7% , grade I was 14.9% , grade II was 20.8% and grade III was 10.4% 

Conclusion:

Revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has become increasingly common. For many, it is a salvage surgery aimed at restoring stability and function for daily activities. This must be tailored to the patient's expectations, who should be aware that a return to sports is not always possible and must be motivated by an intensive rehabilitation program. Successful revision surgery requires a thorough preoperative evaluation, including a detailed medical history, physical examination, and radiographic examination. The patient must be given realistic goals regarding the expected result and must understand that motivation and compliance are critical to success. The results of the revision of the ACL reconstruction continue to be lower than those observed in the primary ACL reconstructions.