Comparison of reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament with and without a Kennedy ligament-augmentation device. A randomized, prospective study.

In a randomized, prospective study, sixty-four patients who were operated on for a torn anterior cruciate ligament were divided into two groups: thirty patients (the control group) had repair with the Marshall-MacIntosh technique alone, and thirty-four patients had repair with the same technique but with the addition of a Kennedy ligament-augmentation device. The preoperative characteristics were essentially identical in the two groups. The postoperative management, resumption of athletic activities, and occurrence of complications were also similar. All patients were followed for more than two years. No significant functional or clinical difference between the two groups was found with respect to residual laxity determined either from dynamic radiographs or with the KT-1000 arthrometer. There was no evidence that the addition of the Kennedy ligament-augmentation device gave results that were superior to those obtained with the Marshall-MacIntosh technique alone.