scholarly journals The influence of the morphometric parameters of the intercondylar notch on rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 576-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lazar Stijak ◽  
Milos Malis ◽  
Ruzica Maksimovic ◽  
Milan Aksic ◽  
Branislav Filipovic

Background/Aim. Morpohometric parameters of the intercondylar notch of femur present one of the substantial risk factors for rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). In morphometric studies of the knee the most often referred indexes are notch width index and notch shape index. The aim of this study was to identificate the morphometric parameters of the intercondylar notch as risk factors for ACL rupture. Methods. This study included 99 patients divided into two groups: the study group (n = 57) composed of patients with chronic instability of the knee because of previos rupture of the ACL, and the control group (n = 42) composed of patients with lesion of the knee, but without rupture of the ACL. Measuring the width and height of intercondylar notch and epicondylar width was observed on a horizontal MR section. According to these values notch width and notch shape indexes were calculated. Results. The study group had statistically significantly higher (p < 0.05) intercondylar notch and lesser notch shape index than the control group (p < 0.05). The difference was highly statistically significant (p < 0.01) only in males, but not in females (p > 0.05). Absolute dimensions of the morphometric parameters of the distal part of the femur had highly statatistically significant larger values (p < 0.01) in males than females, exept in case of the intercondilar height in the control group (p > 0.05). Conclusion. Enhanced height of the intercondylar notch as well as lesser value of the notch shape index are associated with rupture of the ACL in males but not in females.

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lazar Stijak ◽  
Marko Bumbasirevic ◽  
Marko Kadija ◽  
Gordana Stankovic ◽  
Richard Herzog ◽  
...  

Background/Aim. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most frequently injured ligament of the knee, representing 50% of all knee injuries. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in the morphometry of knee injury patients with an intact and a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. Methods. The study included 33 matched pairs of patients divided into two groups: the study group with the diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament rupture, and the control group with the diagnosis of patellofemoral pain but no anterior cruciate ligament lesion. The patients were matched on the basis of 4 attributes: age, sex, type of lesion (whether it was profession- related), and whether the lesion was left- or right-sided. Measurements were carried out using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results. The anterior and posterior edges of the anterior cruciate ligament in the control group were highly significantly smaller (p < 0.01; in both cases). The control group showed a statistically significantly larger width of the anterior cruciate ligament (p < 0.05). A significant correlation between the width of the anterior cruciate ligament and the width (p < 0.01) and height (p < 0.05) of the intercondylar notch was found to exist in the control group, but not in the study group (p > 0.05). The patients in the control group showed a shorter but wider anterior cruciate ligament in comparison to their matched pairs. The control group of patients was also characterized by the correlation between the width of the intercondylar notch and the width of the anterior cruciate ligament, which was not the case in the study group. Conclusions. According to the results of our study we can say that a narrow intercondylar notch contains a proportionally thin anterior cruciate ligament, but we cannot say that this factor necessarily leads to rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament.


2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 1304-1307 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Donald Shelbourne ◽  
Tinker Gray ◽  
Rodney W. Benner

Background A recent report of professional women's basketball found that white European American female players were 6.5 times more likely to tear their anterior cruciate ligament than their nonwhite European American counterparts. African Americans accounted for 95% of the nonwhite European American group. Hypothesis African American men and women have wider intercondylar notches than white men and women. Study Design Cohort study (prevalence); Level of evidence, 2. Methods We obtained 45° flexed weightbearing posteroanterior radiographs on 517 patients who had knee problems other than an anterior cruciate ligament injury or arthrosis. One experienced observer measured the intercondylar notch width with no knowledge of race or gender, and the measurements were analyzed based on race and gender. Results The mean intercondylar notch width was 15.5 mm (SD = 2.8; range, 9-22) for African American women and 14.1 mm (SD = 2.5; range, 8-21) for white women; this difference was statistically significant (P = .009). Similarly, the mean intercondylar notch width was 18.0 mm (SD = 3.6; range, 10-27) for African American men and 16.9 mm (SD = 3.1; range, 9-27) for white men; these values were statistically significantly different (P = .003). Conclusion We conclude that African Americans have statistically significantly wider intercondylar notch widths on 45° flexed weightbearing posteroanterior radiographs than whites of the same gender. This relationship may offer an explanation for the difference between races with regard to risk of anterior cruciate ligament tears.


2022 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 230949902110696
Author(s):  
Necip GÜVEN ◽  
Sezai ÖZKAN ◽  
Tulin TURKOZU ◽  
Adem YOKUS ◽  
Cihan ADANAS ◽  
...  

Purpose Many factors in the etiology of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, predisposing factors related to knee morphology have also been reported. This study aimed to determine whether the Insall–Salvati (IS) index, which measures patella height, is a predisposing risk factor for ACL tears. Methods The IS index, patellar length (PL), and patellar tendon length (PTL) values of patients (study group) that underwent arthroscopic reconstruction for ACL tears obtained by preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were compared with the index values in the preoperative MRIs of patients that underwent knee arthroscopy for reasons besides ACL tears. In addition, the anterior tibial translation (ATT) of both groups was also measured and compared on MRI images. The MRI findings of the subjects included in both study groups were arthroscopically confirmed. Results The mean ages of the study group (n = 120) and control group (n = 90) were 29.1 ± 8.2 years and 31.8 ± 9.8 years, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the study and control groups in terms of the PL and PTL values ( p = 0.016 and p = 0.001, respectively). The IS index was statistically significantly higher in the study group with ACL tears ( p = 0.009). The ATT was 8.61 ± 4.68 mm in the study group and 3.80 ± 1.92 mm in the control group. The ATT results of both groups were evaluated, and it was found that the study group was significantly higher than the control group ( p = 0.001) Conclusions As a result of our current study, we observed higher IS index values in patients with ACL tears than in patients without ACL tears. It should be kept in mind that patella alta, which is associated with a high IS index as one of the factors of knee morphology associated with ACL tears, may play a role in the etiology of ACL tears.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Sangeeta ◽  
M Khizer Hussain Afroze ◽  
Varalakshmi K L

Introduction: Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are commonly encountered in day-to-day practice. The morphology of the intercondylar notch (ICN), in particular, the width, and shape of the notch are of anatomic interest predisposing to ligament injuries. The previous literature points to contradicting views on the association between ICN dimensions and cruciate ligament injuries. Aim of the study: This study aims to study the morphometry of the ACL and ICN in 32 prosected lower limbs and to see if any association exists between the two. Objectives The objectives of the study were to estimate the dimensions of ACL (maximum length and width) in 32 prosected lower limbs, estimate the dimensions of ICN (ICN width and depth) along with intercondylar (IC) width in 32 prosected lower limbs, and test the strength of association between the dimensions of ICN with the dimensions of ACL. Materials and Methods: The study was done in the Department of Anatomy of MVJ Medical College and Research Hospital, Bengaluru. Thirty-two prosected lower limbs from the department of anatomy were used for the study. Results: It was observed that IC width correlated positively with ACL length as well as ACL width. A strong positive correlation was also observed between IC width with ICN width. Femoral notch width index also correlated positively with ACL width. Conclusions: The above study provides valuable data on the morphometry of ACL and its association with all dimensions of IC fossa unlike previous studies which have correlated the dimensions of IC fossa only with the thickness of ACL.


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