Functional outcomes of simultaneous anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and lateral extra-articular tenodesis using an all-suture anchor: a modified mini-open technique.

Introduction: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture frequently leads to instability of the knee joint, which subsequently damages other intra‑articular structures. The combination of ACL reconstruction (ACLR) with concurrent lateral extra‑articular tenodesis (LET) improves rotational stability and reduces the risk of subsequent ACL rupture. However, there is not much research that specifically outlines LET hardware and surgical methods.

Aim: This study aimed to describe and evaluate clinical outcomes of a mini‑open modified Lemaire technique using a self‑punching all‑suture anchor.

Materials and methods: In this study, 32 patients underwent primary or revision ACLR combined with LET via the mini‑open modified Lemaire technique using a self‑punching all‑suture anchor. All individuals completed the following pre‑ and postoperative questionnaires to evaluate their functional performance: the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, assessing several domains, the International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee evaluation form, the Lysholm knee scoring scale, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index. Complication rates were also assessed.

Results: Each patient's functional score values increased, as compared with preoperative measure‑ ments. There were no early post‑ or intraoperative complications associated with the technique described.

Conclusions: This is the first study that evaluated clinical outcomes, intraoperative, and early post‑ operative complications of the mini‑open modified Lemaire technique using a self‑punching all‑suture anchor. Our study indicates that this procedure is effective, safe, and associated with better cosmesis than classic LET techniques.