Mehmet ÖNÜT, Barış YAĞBASAN, Ömer Halit KESKİN, Mehmet Fatih SAVAŞ, Murat GÜLÇEK, Olgun BİNGÖL
Experimental Biomedical Research - 2026;9(4):290-301
Aim: To compare knee stability, quadriceps circumference, and functional outcomes between modified all-inside and conventional anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction techniques and to evaluate the associations between postoperative stability tests and functional scores. Method: This prospective randomized parallel-group study included 80 patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio using a computer-generated sequence. At 1 year postoperatively, knee stability was evaluated using KT-1000 arthrometry, Lachman, and pivot-shift tests. Quadriceps circumference was measured 10 cm proximally to the patellar joint line. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Cincinnati, Visual Analog Scale, Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee, and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score instruments. Results: Forty-two patients underwent conventional reconstruction and 38 underwent modified all-inside reconstruction. Knee stability and functional scores were comparable between the groups (p>0.05). The modified all-inside group showed a nonsignificant tendency toward a smaller side-to-side difference in quadriceps circumference (p=0.051). In this group, International Knee Documentation Committee and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score values differed significantly across Lachman grades (both p=0.008). In the conventional group, functional scores differed significantly across KT-1000 grades, whereas no significant differences were observed across Lachman grades. Conclusions: Both techniques provided comparable knee stability and functional outcomes at 1 year. Exploratory within-group analyses identified associations between Lachman grades and selected functional outcomes in the modified all-inside group and between KT-1000 grades and functional outcomes in the conventional group. These findings do not establish a technique-specific difference and require confirmation in adequately powered studies using formal interaction analyses.
