To evaluate the short-term (2 to 4 year) results of arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using fresh frozen bone-patellar tendon-bone allograft.

Forty-two cases were evaluated and the mean follow-up period was 38 months (27-49 months). Evaluation included the Lysholm score, the 2000 IKDC subjective knee score, the Lachman test, the pivot shift test, the KT-1000 arthrometer test and the 2000 IKDC knee examination.

Thirty-six cases (85.7%) had excellent or good results according to the Lysholm score (mean, 89.2), and 36 cases (85.7%) had a 2000 IKDC subjective knee score of more than 70 (mean, 81.4). Thirty-nine cases (92.8%) were negative or 1+ (firm end-point) on the Lachman test and 40 cases (95.3%) were negative or 1+ on the pivot shift test. Twenty-seven cases (64.3%) had less than a 3 mm manual maximum difference and 12 cases (28.5%) were between 3 and 5 mm by the KT-1000 arthrometer test. Thirty eight cases (90.4%) were normal or nearly normal according to the 2000 IKDC knee examination.

Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using fresh frozen bone-patellar tendon-bone allograft resulted in a reliable and predictable outcome after 2 to 4 years of follow-up.