The effect of graft stiffness on knee joint biomechanics after ACL reconstruction--a 3D computational simulation.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to determine the effect of varying graft stiffness and initial graft tension on knee kinematics and graft tension after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.


METHODS
A 3D computational knee model was used.


BACKGROUND
Many factors influencing the biomechanical outcome of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction have been investigated. However, there are no reports on the effect of variations in graft stiffness on knee behavior.


METHODS
A 3D computational knee model was used to simulate anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using three different grafts with stiffnesses similar to the anterior cruciate ligament (graft 1), a 10mm bone-patellar tendon-bone graft (graft 2), and a 14 mm bone-patellar tendon-bone graft (graft 3). The initial graft tension was set to 0 or 40 N with the knee at 30 degrees of flexion. A 134 N anterior tibial drawer load and a 400 N quadriceps load were applied to the knee, and kinematics and graft tension were calculated.


RESULTS
When fixed with no initial tension, graft 1 was found to under-constrain the knee, while graft 2 slightly over-constrained the knee, and graft 3 over-constrained the knee when compared to the intact knee. When an initial graft tension of 40 N was used, all of the reconstructed knees were more constrained than when an initial tension of 0 N was used.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that graft stiffness has a direct impact on knee biomechanics after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. An optimal anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction can be achieved if the anterior cruciate ligament is replaced by a graft with similar structural stiffness.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that if the graft material and fixation sites are selected such that the anterior cruciate ligament structural stiffness is retained, normal knee kinematics can be restored.
Suggs
Jeremy
J
Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, RN 115, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Wang
Conrad
C
Li
Guoan
G
D000368:Aged; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002102:Cadaver; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004548:Elasticity; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009038:Motion; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013710:Tendons / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D016474:Weight-Bearing