Repair versus reconstruction for proximal anterior cruciate ligament tears: a study protocol for a prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial

Table 1 Inclusion and exclusion criteria for participating in this trial

Inclusion criteria	Exclusion criteria
Pre-operative
Complete primary ACL tear on physical examination and MRI	Complete ipsilateral concomitant knee ligament injury requiring surgery
Tear in proximal quarter on MRI [50, 51]	Concomitant ipsilateral knee dislocation or patellar dislocation
Age 18 – 50 years [22, 52]	Osteoarthritis KL grade ≥ 2
Preinjury Tegner level ≥ 5 & desired Tegner level ≥ 5 [53]	Previous ipsilateral ACL reconstruction/repair
Operation within 4 weeks of injury [54]	Intra-articular corticosteroids 6 months prior
	No understanding of Dutch language or not capable of understanding the study and participation
	No preoperative flexion of 90 degrees
	Grade 3 pivot shift indicating gross ligament instability that requires additional procedures
	Gross lower leg malalignment requiring bony osteotomies
	Muscular, neurological or vascular diseases that influence rehabilitation or surgery
	Prolonged use medication use of prednison or cytostatics
	Pregnancy during injury or surgery
	Osteoporosis that influence rehabilitation or surgery
Intra-operative
Sufficient tissue length for retensioning to femoral insertion	No complete tear at arthroscopy or only one bundle (AM or PL) with proximal tear
Sufficient tissue quality to withhold sutures	Grade 3 or grade 4 cartilage lesions
ACL indicates anterior cruciate ligament; MCL, medial collateral ligament; LCL, lateral collateral ligament; PCL, posterior cruciate ligament; PLC, posterolateral corner.

ISSN: 1471-2474