Objective To evaluate the short-term effectiveness of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with internal brace augmentation for the treatment of acute ACL and medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 15 patients with acute ACL and MCL injuries, who underwent ACL reconstruction with internal brace augmentation for MCL repair between January 2020 and December 2024. There were 10 males and 5 females, with a mean age of 37.3 years (range, 16-56 years). The mechanism of injury was sports-related trauma in 14 patients and a traffic accident in 1 patient. The mean interval from injury to operation was 13.5 days (range, 6-20 days). Concomitant meniscal injuries were identified in 11 patients. Clinical outcomes were evaluated pre- and post-operatively using the Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Tegner score, and knee range of motion. Knee stability was assessed by measuring the side-to-side difference (SSD) in medial joint space on valgus stress X-ray films and in anterior tibial translation using the KT-2000 arthrometer, respectively. Ligament healing was evaluated by postoperative MRI. ResultsAll incisions healed by first intention, and no surgery-related major complications occurred. All patients were followed up 12-13 months (mean, 12.2 months). At last follow-up, the knee joint activity had been restored in all patients. The Lachman test, anterior drawer test, and valgus laxity were negative in all patients, except for one patient with a positive pivot-shift test. The Lysholm score, IKDC score, Tegner score, and knee range of motion showed progressive improvement after operation (P<0.05). At 12 months after operation, X-ray films demonstrated restoration of the medial joint space; the SSD in anterior tibial translation measured with the KT-2000 arthrometer was (2.5±0.6) mm. The above indicators represented a significant improvement compared with the preoperative measurement (P<0.05). MRI confirmed satisfactory continuity of the repaired MCL and satisfactory graft signal intensity of the reconstructed ACL. ConclusionACL reconstruction combined with internal brace augmentation for MCL repair provides satisfactory short-term effectiveness in patients with acute ACL and MCL injuries. This technique facilitates early postoperative rehabilitation, restores knee stability, and may reduce the risk of postoperative complications such as knee stiffness.
