Stiffer fixation of the tibial double-tunnel anterior cruciate ligament complex versus the single tunnel: a biomechanical study.
OBJECTIVE
The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the difference in graft pullout forces, stiffness, and failure mode of double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction of the tibial insertion by use of a single tunnel compared with a double-tunnel technique with interference screw fixation.


METHODS
ACL reconstruction on the tibial side was performed on 40 fresh-frozen porcine knees (mean bone mineral density of 0.64 g/cm(2) measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan), randomly assigned to the single- or double-tunnel group. Interference screw fixation of the soft-tissue graft was used for both types of tibial reconstruction. Maximum failure load, stiffness, and failure mode were recorded.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in maximum failure load between the single-tunnel group (400 +/- 26 N) and double-tunnel group (440 +/- 20 N). Stiffness of the tibial tunnel complex was significantly higher in the double-tunnel group (76 +/- 3 N/mm) than in the single-tunnel group (62 +/- 4 N/mm) (P = .013). All but 2 grafts (38 of 40) failed by slippage of the tendon past the interference screw.


CONCLUSIONS
There was significantly stiffer fixation of the tibial double-tunnel ACL complex when compared with the single tunnel. Our study did not show a different failure mode for the double-tunnel reconstruction compared with the single-tunnel reconstruction.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows a biomechanical advantage with no potential deleterious side effects for fixation of the ACL with a double-tunnel technique on the tibial side.
Meuffels
Duncan E
DE
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. d.meuffels@erasmusmc.nl
Docter
Pieter T
PT
van Dongen
Roland A
RA
Kleinrensink
Gert-Jan
GJ
Verhaar
Jan A N
JA
Reijman
Max
M
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D015519:Bone Density; D001863:Bone Screws; D002102:Cadaver; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000601:surgery; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013552:Swine; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation*; D013718:Tensile Strength; D013977:Tibia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000601:surgery*; D016474:Weight-Bearing