Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Over the past few decades, the number of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions has increased to an estimated 250,000 per year. 1, 2 Primary ACL reconstruction has been shown to be successful in restoring knee stability and function. An improved ability to identify, reconstruct, and rehabilitate these patients has led to a better understanding of the natural history and functional consequences of an ACL-deficient knee. Although current techniques are successful in restoring a large percentage of patients to competitive play, 3 the authors anticipate an ever-increasing number of patients who will present with ACL failure. There are 3 main categories of ACL reconstruction failure, including loss of motion, recurrent instability, and persistent pain.