How to Achieve an Accurate Anatomical Femoral Tunnel Technique in ACL Reconstruction in the Early Years of Your Consultancy? Femoral Offset Aimer Technique: Consistent and Reproducible Technique

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (12) ◽  
pp. 1201-1205
Author(s):  
Pregash Ellapparadja ◽  
Ignatius Joseph ◽  
Veenesh Selvaratnam

AbstractFemoral tunnel malposition is the most common reason for failure of primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. There are several methods to identify the anatomical location of femoral footprint. Femoral offset aimer technique is one such technique which is easy to use and reliable. It is an ideal technique for junior and inexperienced surgeons to recreate the femoral tunnel in its anatomical footprint. The senior author (P.E.) has been using this technique for 30 consecutive cases in his first year of independent practice during his consultancy without any major intraoperative complications. The author describes this technique in this article with tips and tricks which will especially guide the junior and inexperienced surgeons to avoid running into intraoperative problems while drilling the femoral tunnel.

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Sushil Thapa ◽  
Amit Joshi ◽  
Nagmani Singh ◽  
Ishor Pradhan ◽  
Nirab Kayastha

Objectives: Incorrect placement of the femoral tunnel can result in failure of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Several techniques have been described in literature to make accurate femoral tunnel. Although eyeballing and femoral offset aimer are commonly used, they are considered to be less accurate if used in isolation. To the best of our knowledge, no study has evaluated the use of combination of eyeballing and offset aimer to make the femoral tunnel. This study aims to evaluate the position of femoral tunnel made by combination of eyeballing and femoral offset aiming device. Materials and Methods: Post-operative radiographs of 50 patients were assessed. True anteroposterior (AP) and lateral view radiographs were used to evaluate the placement of the femoral tunnel using standard methods. The outcome was assessed and compared with the standard location of femoral tunnel as described by Harner et al. and Aglietti et al. Ease of making femoral tunnel and posterior blowout were recorded. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25 statistical analysis software. Results: In the coronal plane (AP view), the mean position of the femoral tunnel from the lateral cortex was at 35.09% ± 3.9% point. In AP plane (lateral view), the mean position of the femoral tunnel was at 80.01% ± 8.02% posteriorly along the Blumensaat’s line. None of the cases had posterior blowout and the technique was said to be easy. Conclusion: Eyeballing supplemented with transportal femoral offset aimer is an easy and accurate method of placing femoral tunnel and avoids posterior wall blowout.


Author(s):  
Tsuneari Takahashi ◽  
Tomohiro Saito ◽  
Tatsuya Kubo ◽  
Ko Hirata ◽  
Hideaki Sawamura ◽  
...  

AbstractFew studies have determined whether a femoral bone tunnel could be created behind the resident's ridge by using a transtibial (TT) technique-single bundle (SB)-anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The aim of this study was to clarify (1) whether it is possible to create a femoral bone tunnel behind the resident's ridge by using the TT technique with SB ACL reconstruction, (2) to define the mean tibial and femoral tunnel angles during anatomic SB ACL reconstruction, and (3) to clarify the tibial tunnel inlet location when the femoral tunnel is created behind resident's ridge. Arthroscopic TT-SB ACL reconstruction was performed on 36 patients with ACL injuries. The point where 2.4-mm guide pin was inserted was confirmed, via anteromedial portal, to consider a location behind the resident's ridge. Then, an 8-mm diameter femoral tunnel with a 4.5-mm socket was created. Tunnel positions were evaluated by using three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) 1 week postoperatively. Quadrant method and the resident's ridge on 3D-CT were evaluated to determine whether femoral tunnel position was anatomical. Radiological evaluations of tunnel positions yielded mean ( ±  standard deviation) X- and Y-axis values for the tunnel centers: femoral tunnel, 25.2% ± 5.1% and 41.6% ± 10.2%; tibial tunnel, 49.2% ± 3.5%, and 31.5% ± 7.7%. The bone tunnels were anatomically positioned in all cases. The femoral tunnel angle relative to femoral axis was 29.4 ± 5.5 degrees in the coronal view and 43.5 ± 8.0 degrees in the sagittal view. The tibial tunnel angle relative to tibial axis was 25.5 ± 5.3 degrees in the coronal view and 52.3 ± 4.6 degrees in the sagittal view. The created tibial bone tunnel inlet had an average distance of 13.4 ± 2.7 mm from the medial tibial joint line and 9.7 ± 1.7 mm medial from the axis of the tibia. Femoral bone tunnel could be created behind the resident's ridge with TT-SB ACL reconstruction. The tibial bone tunnel inlet averaged 13.4 mm from the medial tibial joint line and 9.7 mm medial from the tibia axis.


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