Tension Band Wire Fixation Technique for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tibial Avulsion Fracture: A New Fixation Technique

This study evaluated clinical results of tension band wire fixation technique in the arthroscopic treatment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tibial avulsion fracture. This study included 148 cases of ACL tibial avulsion fracture treated using arthroscopic tension band wire fixation technique. Patients were followed up for 25 to 36 months with an average of 27 months and evaluated in accordance with the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Lysholm knee scoring scale. Fractures were united within 3 months after surgery in all cases. During the last follow-up, the anterior drawer, Lachman, and pivot shift tests showed negative, except for eight patients who had a 1-degree positive anterior drawer test. KT-1000 knee stability test showed no anterior instability exceeding 2 mm in 132 patients and 4 mm in 8 patients. In accordance with the IKDC scale, the knees of 132 patients were graded normal, whereas 8 other patients were nearly normal. Lysholm scores before surgery and during the last follow-up were 72.4 +/- 3.2 and 97.5 +/- 2.2, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed among the Lysholm scores (p < 0.05). The Tegner scores were 6.5 +/- 0.9 before injury and 6.4 +/- 0.7 at the last follow-up (p > 0.05). No statistically significant differences between the preinjury and postoperative activity level were observed. All patients were satisfied with the outcomes of operation. Arthroscopic treatment of ACL tibial avulsion fracture by using tension band wire fixation technique ensures fracture healing and restores the stability and function of the joint in most patients. The level of evidence for this study is III.