title: Intra-operative four-stranded hamstring tendon graft diameter evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether clinical factors enable prediction of the diameter of hamstring tendons harvested for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty patients were submitted for reconstruction of the ACL with hamstring tendons in a quadruple manner. During surgery the diameter of the graft was measured. The variables analyzed were: age, gender, weight, height, operated side, dominant side, leg length, thigh length, thigh diameter, body mass index (BMI), and sports activity. The data was collected pre-operatively and correlated with the diameter of the graft.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diameter of the graft was strongly related to gender, height, leg length, thigh length, weight, and thigh diameter. Women presented significantly smaller graft diameter than men; as well as weight, height, leg length, and thigh length. Men with height equal to or greater than 1.80 m showed average graft diameter greater than the total group, and greater percentage of 9 mm grafts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diameter of the hamstring graft is significantly associated to weight, height, leg length, thigh length, thigh diameter, and gender. The variable that had most influence was height, followed by gender and leg length. The variables BMI, age, sports activity, and dominant side did not present correlation. Tendon diameter was larger in men than in women. Men with a height equal to or greater than 1.80 m had a higher prevalence of 9 mm grafts and had a larger average tendon diameter.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cross sectional collection of data, Level IV.
authors.affiliation: Knee Service, Department of Orthopaedics of the Hospital das Clínicas, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Rua Curitiba, número 2258, apt 1502, Bairro Lourdes, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 30310530, Brazil. luciobiondi@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Lúcio Flávio Biondi
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.forename: Marco Antônio Percope
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Andrade
authors.forename: Luiz Eduardo Moreira
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Luiz Américo Leão
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bicalho
authors.forename: Wagner Guimarães
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.forename: Sérgio Augusto Campolina
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Azeredo
authors.forename: Leonard Azevedo
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Luiz Gustavo Alves
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Gonzaga
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D001182:Arthroscopy; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013709:Tendon Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D013848:Thigh / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D016896:Treatment Outcome