A group of 45 patients who underwent replacement of a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament with a free graft of one-third of the patellar tendon combined with a lateral extra-articular tenodesis have been reviewed. The average age of the patients was 26.4 years and the mean follow-up period 3.2 years. Stability was achieved in 42 patients (93 per cent), judged on clinical criteria. Overall patient satisfaction was high at 73 per cent and 38 patients (84 per cent) maintained their sporting activity at a social or competitive level. Those who had unsatisfactory results had undergone significant delay before anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.