The Anterolateral Ligament Has Limited Intrinsic Healing Potential: A Serial, 3-Dimensional–Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Anterior Cruciate Ligament–Injured Knees From the SANTI Study Group

2021 ◽  
pp. 036354652110130
Author(s):  
Adnan Saithna ◽  
Camilo Partezani Helito ◽  
Thais Dutra Vieira ◽  
Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet ◽  
Koichi Muramatsu

Background: Recent imaging studies demonstrate that the anterolateral ligament (ALL) is frequently injured at the time of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. The intrinsic healing potential of these injuries after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) has not been defined. Purpose/Hypothesis: The primary objective was to evaluate the rate and duration of the healing process of injured ALLs after ACLR using serial 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (3D-MRI). The secondary objective was to investigate whether any patient, injury, or surgical factors influenced the healing rate. The hypothesis was that serial imaging would demonstrate that the ALL has limited healing potential. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Patients enrolled in the study underwent 3D-MRI (slice thickness 0.5 mm) preoperatively and at 1, 6, 12, and 24 months after ACLR. Three observers determined the grade of ALL injury according to the Muramatsu classification. Inter- and intraobserver reliabilities were calculated. The rates of injury and time points for healing were determined. Full healing was defined as a change from a preoperative Muramatsu grade of B or C (indicating partial or complete injury) to grade A (normal). Multivariate analysis was used to investigate the association of aforementioned factors with the risk of incomplete healing. Results: A total of 44 patients were enrolled in the study. Of them, 71.2% had an ALL injury on preoperative imaging. Overall, full healing of ALL injuries occurred at a rate of 3.2%, 15.2%, and 30.3% at 1, 6, and 12 months, respectively. There were no changes in the Muramatsu grade in any patient beyond 12 months postoperatively. None of the complete lesions demonstrated full healing, but the proportion of patients with a grade C injury decreased from 13.6% preoperatively to 4.5% at 12 months due to an improvement to grade B in 4 of 6 patients (66%). Inter- and intraobserver reliabilities of the classification system were almost perfect at 0.81-0.94 and 0.95-1.00, respectively. None of the potential risk factors investigated were predictive of an increased risk of nonhealing. Conclusion: ALL injuries occurred in the majority of ACL-injured knees. They had limited intrinsic healing potential, with only 30.3% healing by 12 months after ACLR. The process of healing took >6 months in half of the patients in whom it occurred. No new cases of full healing occurred beyond 12 months postoperatively. No significant risk factors for failure of full healing to occur were identified, but it is likely that this aspect of the study was underpowered.

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 192-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Hart ◽  
Thiru Sivakumaran ◽  
Mark Burman ◽  
Tom Powell ◽  
Paul A. Martineau

Background: The recent emphasis on anatomic reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is well supported by clinical and biomechanical research. Unfortunately, the location of the native femoral footprint can be difficult to see at the time of surgery, and the accuracy of current techniques to perform anatomic reconstruction is unclear. Purpose: To use 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (3D MRI) to prospectively evaluate patients with torn ACLs before and after reconstruction and thereby assess the accuracy of graft position on the femoral condyle. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Forty-one patients with unilateral ACL tears were recruited into the study. Each patient underwent 3D MRI of both the injured and uninjured knees before surgery. The contralateral (uninjured) knee was used to define the patient’s native footprint. Patients then underwent ACL reconstruction, and the injured knee underwent reimaging after surgery. The location and percentage overlap of the reconstructed femoral footprint were compared with the patient’s native footprint. Results: The center of the native ACL femoral footprint was a mean 12.0 ± 2.6 mm distal and 9.3 ± 2.2 mm anterior to the apex of the deep cartilage. The position of the reconstructed graft was significantly different, with a mean distance of 10.8 ± 2.2 mm distal ( P = .02) and 8.0 ± 2.3 mm anterior ( P = .01). The mean distance between the center of the graft and the center of the native ACL femoral footprint (error distance) was 3.6 ± 2.6 mm. Comparing error distances among the 4 surgeons demonstrated no significant difference ( P = .10). On average, 67% of the graft overlapped within the native ACL femoral footprint. Conclusion: Despite contemporary techniques and a concerted effort to perform anatomic ACL reconstruction by 4 experienced sports orthopaedic surgeons, the position of the femoral footprint was significantly different between the native and reconstructed ACLs. Furthermore, each surgeon used a different technique, but all had comparable errors in their tunnel placements.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 232596712090991
Author(s):  
Yousef Marwan ◽  
Jens Böttcher ◽  
Carl Laverdière ◽  
Rehana Jaffer ◽  
Mark Burman ◽  
...  

Background: Femoral and tibial tunnel malposition for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) is correlated with higher failure rate. Regardless of the surgical technique used to create ACL tunnels, significant mismatches between the native and reconstructed footprints exist. Purpose: To compare the position of tunnels created by a standard technique with the ones created based on preoperative 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (3D MRI) measurements of the ACL anatomic footprint. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Using 3D MRI, the native ACL footprints were identified. Tunnels were created on 16 knees (8 cadavers) arthroscopically. On one knee of a matched pair, the tunnels were created based on 3D MRI measurements that were provided to the surgeon (roadmapped technique), while on the contralateral knee, the tunnels were created based on a standard anatomic ACLR technique. The technique was randomly assigned per set of knees. Postoperatively, the positions of the tunnels were measured using 3D MRI. Results: On the tibial side, the median distance between the center of the native and reconstructed ACL footprints in relation to the root of the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus medially was 1.7 ± 2.2 mm and 1.9 ± 2.8 mm for the standard and roadmapped techniques, respectively ( P = .442), while the median anteroposterior distance was 3.4 ± 2.4 mm and 2.5 ± 2.5 mm for the standard and roadmapped techniques, respectively ( P = .161). On the femoral side, the median distance in relation to the apex of the deep cartilage (ADC) distally was 0.9 ± 2.8 mm and 1.3 ± 2.1 mm for the standard and roadmapped techniques, respectively ( P = .195), while the median distance anteriorly from the ADC was 1.2 ± 1.3 mm and 4.6 ± 4.5 mm for the standard and roadmapped techniques, respectively ( P = .007). Conclusion: Providing precise radiological measurements of the ACL footprints does not improve the surgeon’s ability to position the tunnels. Future studies should continue to attempt to provide tools to improve the tunnel position in ACLR. Clinical Relevance: This cadaveric study indicates that despite the use of 3D MRI in understanding the ACL anatomy, re-creating the native ACL footprints remains a challenge.


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