Knee Surg Relat Res.  2017 Sep;29(3):195-202. 10.5792/ksrr.16.005.

Tomographic Study of Femoral Positioning in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using the Transtibial Technique

• da Silva R
• Matos MA
• Costa VC
• de Morais
• de Castro

• KMID: 2389255
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5792/ksrr.16.005

Abstract

PURPOSE
To analyze the location of the femoral tunnel by three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) of the lateral condyle in patients who underwent arthroscopic single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, performed using a modified transtibial technique, and to compare the results with data from the literature.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Seventeen patients with ACL lesions underwent modified transtibial ACL reconstruction. Postoperatively, 3D CT examinations were performed and the images were analyzed by the quadrant system described by Bernard and Hertel to define the femoral tunnel coordinates.
RESULTS
The mean value of femoral tunnel location coordinates was 37.1±5.9 in the horizontal plane and 23.9±7.5 in the vertical plane. Compared with other studies using the transtibial or transportal technique, femoral positioning was improved in the vertical plane. The outside-in technique provided the best results both in the vertical and horizontal planes.
CONCLUSIONS
The modified transtibial technique was not effective for systematically anatomic femoral tunnel positioning; however, it was relatively better than the conventional transtibial technique.

Keyword

Knee; Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; Three-dimensional computed tomography; Transtibial technique; Tunnel position

MeSH Terms

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction*
Anterior Cruciate Ligament*
Humans
Knee