Abstract
Aim: To assess pain control, functional outcome and patient satisfaction following day surgery ACL reconstruction.
We report the results of 60 consecutive primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions performed by a single operator at King’s College Hospital Day surgery unit. A “3 in 1” nerve block was used after general anaesthesia. Semitendinosis and gracilis were harvested from the ipsilateral side, doubled and implanted arthroscopically. Patients were discharged the same day with oral analgesia. The mean age was 34.7 years old (range 18–58). Mean period between injury and reconstruction was 26.9 months (range 6–63 months). Mean follow-up was 38 months (range 7–86 months). Average post operative pain score was 3.86 with an average analgesic requirement of 11.2 days (range 0–50 days) Mean Modified Lysholm score was 85.63 (range 31–100) and mean IKDC score was 79.83 (range 37–100).
In conclusion we found that following day surgery ACL reconstruction, pain relief was adequate in most cases, functional outcome was rated good or excellent by 78% of patients and 91% were satisfied with the overall service.
Correspondence should be addressed to Mr Tim Wilton, BASK at the Royal College of Surgeons, 35–43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PE.
