scholarly journals Femoral and Tibial Tunnel Diameter and Bioabsorbable Screw Findings After Double-Bundle ACL Reconstruction in 5-Year Clinical and MRI Follow-up

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 232596711668552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommi Kiekara ◽  
Antti Paakkala ◽  
Piia Suomalainen ◽  
Heini Huhtala ◽  
Timo Järvelä

Background: Tunnel enlargement is frequently seen in short-term follow-up after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). According to new evidence, tunnel enlargement may be followed by tunnel narrowing, but the long-term evolution of the tunnels is currently unknown. Hypothesis/Purpose: The hypothesis was that tunnel enlargement is followed by tunnel narrowing caused by ossification as seen in follow-up using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ossification pattern of the tunnels, the communication of the 2 femoral and 2 tibial tunnels, and screw absorption findings in MRI. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Thirty-one patients underwent anatomic double-bundle ACLR with hamstring grafts and bioabsorbable interference screw fixation and were followed with MRI and clinical evaluation at 2 and 5 years postoperatively. Results: The mean tunnel enlargement at 2 years was 58% and reduced to 46% at 5 years. Tunnel ossification resulted in evenly narrowed tunnels in 44%, in conical tunnels in 48%, and fully ossified tunnels in 8%. Tunnel communication increased from 13% to 23% in the femur and from 19% to 23% in the tibia between 2 and 5 years and was not associated with knee laxity. At 5 years, 54% of the screws were not visible, with 35% of the screws replaced by a cyst and 19% fully ossified. Tunnel cysts were not associated with worse patient-reported outcomes or knee laxity. Patients with a tibial anteromedial tunnel cyst had higher Lysholm scores than patients without a cyst (93 and 84, P = .03). Conclusion: Tunnel enlargement was followed by tunnel narrowing in 5-year follow-up after double-bundle ACLR. Tunnel communication and tunnel cysts were frequent MRI findings and not associated with adverse clinical evaluation results.

Author(s):  
Hiroki Katagiri ◽  
Yusuke Nakagawa ◽  
Kazumasa Miyatake ◽  
Nobutake Ozeki ◽  
Yuji Kohno ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare clinical outcomes between revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) using a bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autograft and that using a double-bundle hamstring tendon (HT) autograft. Methods Consecutive cases of revision ACLRs were reviewed. The Lysholm knee scale and Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) were recorded at the final follow-up. The pivot shift test, Lachman test, and anterior knee laxity measurement using an arthrometer were evaluated before revision ACLR and at final follow-up. Contralateral knee laxity was also evaluated, and side-to-side differences noted. The Lysholm knee scale, KOOS, the pivot shift test, Lachman test, and anterior knee laxity were compared between HT versus BPTB autograft recipient groups using the Mann–Whitney test or the t-test. Results Forty-one patients who underwent revision ACLR and followed up for at least 2 years were included. The graft source was a BPTB autograft in 23 patients (BPTB group) and a double-bundle HT autograft in 18 patients (HT group). The mean postoperative follow-up period was 44 ± 28 months in the BPTB group and 36 ± 18 in the HT group (p = 0.38). The HT group had significantly higher KOOS in the pain subscale (less pain) than the BPTB group at the final follow-up (BPTB group 84.2 vs. HT group 94.4; p = 0.02). The BPTB group showed significantly smaller side-to-side difference in anterior knee laxity (superior stability) than the HT group (0.3 vs. 2.6 mm; p < 0.01). The percentage of patients with residual anterior knee laxity in the BPTB group was significantly lower than that in the HT group (9.5% vs. 46.7%; odds ratio, 8.3; p = 0.02). Study Design This was a level 3 retrospective study. Conclusion Revision ACLR with a BPTB autograft was associated with superior results regarding restoration of knee joint stability as compared with that with a double-bundle HT autograft, whereas double-bundle HT autograft was superior to BPTB autograft in terms of patient-reported outcomes of pain. The rest of the patient-reported outcomes were equal between the two groups.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 1305-1315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha M. Murray ◽  
Braden C. Fleming ◽  
Gary J. Badger ◽  
Christina Freiberger ◽  
Rachael Henderson ◽  
...  

Background: Preclinical studies suggest that for complete midsubstance anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, a suture repair of the ACL augmented with a protein implant placed in the gap between the torn ends (bridge-enhanced ACL repair [BEAR]) may be a viable alternative to ACL reconstruction (ACLR). Hypothesis: We hypothesized that patients treated with BEAR would have a noninferior patient-reported outcomes (International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC] Subjective Score; prespecified noninferiority margin, –11.5 points) and instrumented anteroposterior (AP) knee laxity (prespecified noninferiority margin, +2-mm side-to-side difference) and superior muscle strength at 2 years after surgery when compared with patients who underwent ACLR with autograft. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: One hundred patients (median age, 17 years; median preoperative Marx activity score, 16) with complete midsubstance ACL injuries were enrolled and underwent surgery within 45 days of injury. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either BEAR (n = 65) or autograft ACLR (n = 35 [33 with quadrupled semitendinosus-gracilis and 2 with bone–patellar tendon–bone]). Outcomes—including the IKDC Subjective Score, the side-to-side difference in instrumented AP knee laxity, and muscle strength—were assessed at 2 years by an independent examiner blinded to the procedure. Patients were unblinded after their 2-year visit. Results: In total, 96% of the patients returned for 2-year follow-up. Noninferiority criteria were met for both the IKDC Subjective Score (BEAR, 88.9 points; ACLR, 84.8 points; mean difference, 4.1 points [95% CI, –1.5 to 9.7]) and the side-to-side difference in AP knee laxity (BEAR, 1.61 mm; ACLR, 1.77 mm; mean difference, –0.15 mm [95% CI, –1.48 to 1.17]). The BEAR group had a significantly higher mean hamstring muscle strength index than the ACLR group at 2 years (98.2% vs 63.2%; P < .001). In addition, 14% of the BEAR group and 6% of the ACLR group had a reinjury that required a second ipsilateral ACL surgical procedure ( P = .32). Furthermore, the 8 patients who converted from BEAR to ACLR in the study period and returned for the 2-year postoperative visit had similar primary outcomes to patients who had a single ipsilateral ACL procedure. Conclusion: BEAR resulted in noninferior patient-reported outcomes and AP knee laxity and superior hamstring muscle strength when compared with autograft ACLR at 2-year follow-up in a young and active cohort. These promising results suggest that longer-term studies of this technique are justified. Registration: NCT02664545 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier)


Author(s):  
Sunil Chandrashekar ◽  
Manjunath A. N. ◽  
Shivakumar M. S.

<p class="abstract">The purpose of this study is to evaluate tibial and femoral tunnel diameter following single bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and correlation between tunnel enlargement and clinical outcome. Twelve patients who underwent primary arthroscopic single bundle ACL reconstruction with hamstring graft were included in prospective case series. Preoperative clinical evaluation was performed using international knee documentation committee (IKDC) subjective score and grade, Tegner knee score and Lysholm knee score. Computed tomography (CT) evaluation of the femoral and tibial tunnels were done on post-operative day (POD) 1 and at a mean follow up of 9 months (range 7-12 months) and were compared with functional scores. Our study shows significant tibial and femoral tunnel enlargement on CT scan at 9 months (range 7-12 months) postoperatively. All the clinical evaluation scales showed improvement postoperatively. The mean average femoral tunnel diameter increased significantly (p&lt;0.001) from 8.17±0.57 to 9.08±0.660 (10%) and tibial tunnel diameter increased significantly (p&lt;0.001) from 8.08±0.669 to 9.07±0.601 (11%) postoperatively at a mean follow up of 9 months (range 7-12 months). No statistically significant difference between tunnel enlargement and clinical values were found. In our current prospective CT based study, we conclude use of extracortical fixation of femoral tunnel with stronger fixation of the tibial tunnel, tunnel orientation and anatomic fixation close to the joint line along with less aggressive rehabilitation protocol with use of extension knee brace may result in minimization of tunnel widening with quadrupled hamstring autograft.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 232596712110469
Author(s):  
Lena Eggeling ◽  
Stefan Breer ◽  
Tobias Claus Drenck ◽  
Karl-Heinz Frosch ◽  
Ralph Akoto

Background: We developed a quadriceps-tendon graft technique using a double-layered, partial-thickness, soft tissue quadriceps tendon graft (dlQUAD) for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). This technique allows simple femoral loop button fixation and a limited harvest depth of the quadriceps tendon. Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of patients undergoing revision ACLR using the dlQUAD technique compared with a hamstring tendon graft (HT). Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 114 patients who underwent revision ACLR between 2017 and 2018 were included in this retrospective case series. At a mean follow-up of 26.9 ± 3.7 months (range, 24-36), 89 patients (dlQUAD: n = 43, HT: n = 46) were clinically examined. In addition, patients completed the Lysholm score, Tegner activity scale, subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. Postoperative failure of the revision ACLR was defined as a side-to-side difference (SSD) in Rolimeter testing ≥5 mm or a pivot-shift grade of 2 or 3. Results: Nine patients (10.1%) were identified with a failed revision ACLR. There was a significantly lower failure rate with dlQUAD versus the HT group (2.3% vs 17.4%; P = .031). The mean postoperative SSD was significantly less in the dlQUAD group (1.3 ± 1.3 mm [range, 0-5] vs 1.8 ± 2.2 mm [range, 0-9]; P = .043). At the latest follow-up, Tegner and IKDC scores significantly improved in the dlQUAD group compared with the HT group (Tegner: 5.8 ± 1.8 vs 5.6 ± 1.5; P = .043; IKDC: 83.8 ± 12.2 vs 78.6 ± 16.8; P = .037). The pain VAS score was also significantly reduced in the dlQUAD group compared with the HT group (0.9 ± 1.1 vs 1.6 ± 2.0; P = .014). Conclusion: The dlQUAD and HT techniques both demonstrated significant improvement of preoperative knee laxity and satisfactory patient-reported outcome measures after revision ACLR. Compared with the HT grafts, the dlQUAD technique showed lower failure rates and small increases in Tegner and IKDC scores.


2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (14) ◽  
pp. 3356-3364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip L. Wilson ◽  
Charles W. Wyatt ◽  
K. John Wagner ◽  
Nathan Boes ◽  
Meagan J. Sabatino ◽  
...  

Background: Treatment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in the adolescent population continues to be complicated by an unacceptably high rate of secondary ACL injury. Purpose: To describe the failure rate and outcomes after a hybrid pediatric ACL reconstruction (ACLR) employing transphyseal hamstring (TPH) autograft combined with an extra-articular technique using an iliotibial band (ITB) autograft. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing combined TPH-ITB ACLR between January 2012 and April 2017 with a minimum 2-year follow-up were reviewed. With the goal of decreasing ACL graft injury in this high-risk group, this technique employed anteromedial portal drilling for TPH with an extraosseous femoral ITB technique and intra-articular TPH-ITB grafts fixed within the tibial bone tunnel. Demographics, bone age, standing alignment radiograph for growth and mechanical axis grade, return to sport, graft failure, and patient-reported outcome measures were analyzed. Results: A total of 61 knees in 60 adolescents underwent the combined TPH-ITB ACLR, with 57 knees (93.4%) meeting inclusion criteria with a mean follow-up of 38.5 months (range, 24-78 months). Only 3 of 57 knees (5.3%) sustained ACL reinjury. The mean age was 13.0 years (range, 11-16 years) with 36 male patients (mean bone age, 14.2 years) and 21 female patients (mean bone age, 13.3 years), and 91% of patients (52 of 57) returned to sport. Participants demonstrated a high functional level at final follow-up, with a mean score of 91.2 (range, 46.7-100) on the Pediatric International Knee Documentation Committee (Pedi-IKDC) Subjective Knee Evaluation Form and mean score of 22.4 (range, 4-30) on the Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (Pedi-FABS). To critically assess growth, a cohort with ≥18 months of growth remaining at surgery was evaluated at maturity. No difference was seen in mean operative and nonoperative leg growth (49.7 mm and 49.8 mm). Although no family reported cosmetic or functional alignment or length concerns, 1 of 18 (5.5%) had a final limb length discrepancy >10 mm (12 mm) and a perioperative alignment difference (0-Grade II valgus). Conclusion: Combined TPH-ITB ACLR in adolescents resulted in high activity levels (Pedi-FABS, 22.4; median, 25) and a low (5.3%) graft failure rate at a mean 38.5 months.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (11) ◽  
pp. 2578-2585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Järvelä ◽  
Tommi Kiekara ◽  
Piia Suomalainen ◽  
Timo Järvelä

Background: A long-term follow-up comparing double-bundle and single-bundle techniques for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has not been reported before. Hypothesis: Double-bundle ACL reconstruction may have fewer graft ruptures, lower rates of osteoarthritis (OA), and better stability than single-bundle reconstruction. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Ninety patients were randomized for double-bundle ACL reconstruction with bioabsorbable screw fixation (DB group; n = 30), single-bundle ACL reconstruction with bioabsorbable screw fixation (SBB group; n = 30), and single-bundle ACL reconstruction with metallic screw fixation (SBM group; n = 30). Evaluation methods consisted of a clinical examination, KT-1000 arthrometer measurements, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Lysholm knee scores, and a radiographic examination of both the operated and contralateral knees. Results: Eighty-one patients (90%) were available at the 10-year follow-up. Eleven patients (1 in the DB group, 7 in the SBB group, and 3 in the SBM group) had a graft failure during the follow-up and went on to undergo revision ACL surgery ( P = .043). In the remaining 70 patients at 10 years, no significant group differences were found in the pivot-shift test findings, KT-1000 arthrometer measurements, or knee scores. The most OA findings were found in the medial compartment of the knee, with 38% of the patients in the operated knee and 28% of the patients in the contralateral nonoperated knee. However, no significant group difference was found. The most severe OA changes were in the patients who had the longest delay from the primary injury to ACL reconstruction ( P = .047) and in the patients who underwent partial meniscal resection at the time of ACL reconstruction ( P = .024). Conclusion: Double-bundle ACL reconstruction resulted in significantly fewer graft failures than single-bundle ACL reconstruction during the follow-up. Knee stability and OA rates were similar at 10 years. The most severe OA changes were found in the patients who had the longest delay from the primary injury to ACL reconstruction and in the patients who underwent partial meniscal resection at the time of ACL reconstruction.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 232596711881129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsuro Masuda ◽  
Eiji Kondo ◽  
Jun Onodera ◽  
Nobuto Kitamura ◽  
Masayuki Inoue ◽  
...  

Background: The effects of remnant tissue preservation on tunnel enlargement after anatomic double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have not yet been established. Hypothesis: The preservation of ACL remnant tissue may significantly reduce the degree and incidence of tunnel enlargement after anatomic double-bundle ACL reconstruction, while the remnant-preserving procedure may not significantly increase the incidence of tunnel coalition after surgery. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A total of 79 patients underwent anatomic double-bundle ACL reconstruction. Based on the Crain classification of ACL remnant tissue, 40 patients underwent the remnant-preserving procedure (group P), and the remaining 39 patients underwent the remnant-resecting procedure (group R). There were no differences between the 2 groups concerning all background factors, including preoperative knee instability and intraoperative tunnel positions. All patients were examined using computed tomography and a standard physical examination at 2 weeks and 1 year after surgery. Results: During surgery, the femoral and tibial anteromedial (AM) tunnel sizes in both groups averaged 6.6 and 6.5 mm, respectively. The femoral and tibial posterolateral (PL) tunnel sizes in both groups averaged 6 and 6 mm, respectively. There were no differences in the intraoperative tunnel positions and tunnel sizes between groups. Concerning the femoral AM tunnel, the degree of tunnel enlargement in the oblique coronal and oblique axial views in group P was significantly less than that in group R ( P = .0068 and .0323, respectively). Regarding the femoral AM tunnel cross-sectional area, the degree and incidence of tunnel enlargement in group P were significantly less than those in group R ( P = .0086 and .0278, respectively). There were no significant differences in tunnel coalition between groups. In each group, there were no significant relationships between tunnel enlargement and each clinical outcome. Conclusion: Remnant preservation in anatomic double-bundle ACL reconstruction reduced enlargement of the femoral AM tunnel and did not increase the incidence of tunnel coalition. This is one of the advantages of remnant-preserving ACL reconstruction.


Joints ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 06 (02) ◽  
pp. 075-079 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Parchi ◽  
Gianluca Ciapini ◽  
Carlo Paglialunga ◽  
Michele Giuntoli ◽  
Carmine Picece ◽  
...  

Purpose The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the subjective and functional outcome of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with the synthetic Ligament Advanced Reinforcement System (LARS) ligament. Methods Twenty-six patients were reviewed at an average follow-up of 11.6 years. Objective clinical evaluation was performed with stability tests. Patient-reported outcomes (Visual Analogue Scale, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and Cincinnati Knee Rating Scale) were used to assess subjective and functional outcomes. Results Overall satisfactory results were obtained in 22 cases (84.6%). Four patients (15.4%) showed mechanical failure of the graft. No cases of synovitis or infection were reported. Conclusion LARS ligament can be considered a safe and suitable option for ACL reconstruction in carefully selected cases, especially elderly patients needing a rapid postoperative recovery. Level of Evidence Level IV, retrospective case series.


Author(s):  
Monika Senftl ◽  
Daniel Petek ◽  
Matthias Jacobi ◽  
Alex Schallberger ◽  
Jonathan Spycher ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Dynamic Intraligamentary Stabilization (DIS) is a technique for preservation, anatomical repair and stabilization of a freshly injured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term re-operation rate when compared to traditional autograft reconstruction. Methods Four, from the developer independent, centres enrolled patients that underwent ACL repair by DIS, according to the specific indications given by MRI imaging at a minimum follow-up of 12 months. The re-operation rate was recorded as primary outcome. Secondary outcome measures were the postoperative antero-posterior knee laxity (using a portable Rolimeter®), as well as the Tegner, Lysholm and IKDC Scores. Results A total of 105 patients were investigated with a median follow-up of 21 months. Thirteen patients were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 92 patients 15 (16.3%) had insufficient functional stability and required subsequent ACL reconstruction. These patients were excluded from further analysis, leaving 77 consecutive patients for a 12 months follow-up. The median age at time of surgery was 30 years for that group. At time of follow-up a median antero-posterior translation difference of 2 mm was measured. None of these patients reported subjective insufficiency (giving way), but in 14 patients (18.2%), the difference of antero-posterior translation was more than 3 mm. We found a median Tegner Score of 5.5, a median Lysholm Score of 95.0 and a median IKDC Score of 89.4. Conclusion The main finding of this multicentre study is a relevant re-operation rate of 16.3%. Another 18.2% showed objective antero-posterior laxity (≥ 3 mm) during testing raising the suspicion of postoperative non-healing. The failure rate of DIS in this study is higher than for reconstruction with an autologous tendon graft. However, our successfully treated patients had a good clinical and functional outcome based on antero-posterior knee laxity and clinical scores, comparable to patients treated by autograft reconstruction.


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