Ultrastructural study of the extra-articular Leeds-Keio ligament prosthesis.
BACKGROUND
There have been several histological studies of the Leeds-Keio ligament in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, but there have been few of the Leeds-Keio ligament in the extra-articular portion.


OBJECTIVE
To report the histological and ultrastructural findings of two cases of medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction using the Leeds-Keio ligament, removed 6.1 years and 8.7 years after implantation.


RESULTS
In both cases, the tissue over the Leeds-Keio ligament was a ligament-like tissue. Electron microscopy showed that the diameter of the collagen fibrils in the tissue over the Leeds-Keio ligament was unimodal in the case investigated 6.1 years after implantation but bimodal in the case investigated after 8.7 years.


CONCLUSIONS
The tissue over the Leeds-Keio ligament may continue to grow with prolonged periods of mechanical stress.
Nomura
E
E
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kawasaki Municipal Hospital, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-0013, Japan. edk-nomura@spn1.speednet.ne.jp
Inoue
M
M
Sugiura
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003094:Collagen / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D031222:Patellar Dislocation / Q000601:surgery*; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014945:Wound Healing
D003094:Collagen