Chronic anterior laxity of the knee: classification and coding of the results of surgical treatment.
Between April 1976 and December 1983 we treated 578 cases of anterior capsuloligamentous laxity of the knee surgically (148 acute and 430 chronic). The chronic cases were treated by a variety of techniques; peripheral plastic repair (191 cases), reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament with semitendinosus (127 cases), and with semintendinosus and gracilis (112 cases). To achieve uniformity of classification in such a large number of cases it was necessary to simplify and consolidate the data relative to history, objective examination, operative findings and criteria of evaluation of the results. A personal computer was used to provide rapid processing.