title: Arthroscopic evaluation of ACL grafts reconstructed with the anatomical two-bundle technique using hamstring tendon autograft.
abstract: This article describes second-look arthroscopic evaluation of the transplanted grafts after anatomical two-bundle ACL reconstruction, which had been performed between December 2000 and March 2004. Using two double-looped semitendinosus tendon grafts via separate femoral and tibial tunnels in the anatomical ACL footprints, 65 patients (mean age of 24 years) underwent anatomical two-bundle ACL reconstruction. The evaluation was performed for those who had undergone the procedure 5-29 months (mean 16.5) previously, with emphasis on graft tension and the presence of graft damage by meticulous probing. None of the anteromedial (AM) grafts showed rupture, while 11% of the posterolateral (PL) grafts showed substantial damage around the femoral tunnel aperture. Both the AM and PL grafts were evaluated as lax without apparent graft rupture in 9% of the knees. These results suggest that the currently performed anatomical two-bundle ACL reconstruction and postoperative regimen still remain to be improved to achieve better postoperative graft morphology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Otsubo
authors.forename: Konsei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shino
authors.forename: Norimasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakata
authors.forename: Shigeto
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koyanagi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D024162:Second-Look Surgery; D013710:Tendons / Q000473:pathology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome