Long-term Outcomes of Multiligament Knee Injuries in American Football Players

Background: Long-term outcomes for isolated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions in competitive American football athletes are well reported in the literature, but little data currently exist regarding multiligament knee injury (MLKI) reconstruction outcomes. Purpose: To examine patient-reported and return-to-sport outcomes of competitive American football athletes who underwent primary, single-staged, multiligament knee reconstruction. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4 Methods: We identified patients from our institution’s prospectively collected data repository between 2001 and 2020 who underwent single-staged surgical reconstruction of an MLKI sustained during competitive participation in American football. We assessed patient-reported outcomes at a minimum of 2 years after surgery using the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Form and questions regarding surgical satisfaction and return to sport. Successful return to sport was defined as a return to preinjury level of competition. We summarized all outcome data and compared outcomes between 2-ligament and >2-ligament groups and between ACL-only MLKI injury and bicruciate MLKI injury groups using independent t test for IKDC scores and chi-square test for return to sport. Additionally, we evaluated predictors of postoperative IKDC scores using linear regression and predictors of return to sport using logistic regression. Results: Outcome data were successfully collected for 53 of 73 total eligible patients (73%; mean follow-up time, 7.7 ± 4.0 years; all male; mean age at surgery, 18.1 ± 2.7 years). The mean postoperative IKDC score was 84 ± 16. The most common level of preinjury competition was high school (n = 36; 68%), followed by college (n = 10; 19%). Seven patients did not return to sport competition at any level due to limitations from their knee surgery, and 82% of patients that attempted to return to preinjury level of sport were able to do so. A total of 50 patients (94%) were satisfied or very satisfied with their surgical outcome. The 2-ligament (n = 39) and >2-ligament (n = 14) groups did not significantly differ in IKDC scores ( P = .96) or proportions with successful return to sport ( P = .77). Similarly, the ACL-MLKI injury (n = 39) and bicruciate MLKI injury (n = 14) groups did not significantly differ in IKDC scores ( P = .89) or proportions with successful return to sport ( P = .77). Age and body mass index were not significantly associated with IKDC scores or successful return to sport at follow-up (all P > .05). Conclusion: This study may represent the largest cohort of competitive American football athletes evaluated for longitudinal outcomes after multiligament knee reconstruction. Despite the severity of these injuries, we found good knee-related function and that the large majority of athletes who attempted to return to sport were successful. The majority of athletes (94%) were satisfied with their operative treatment.