title: Ultrastructural study of the extra-articular Leeds-Keio ligament prosthesis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kawasaki Municipal Hospital, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-0013, Japan. edk-nomura@spn1.speednet.ne.jp
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugiura
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen