title: The influence of femoral tunnel position in single-bundle ACL reconstruction on functional outcomes and return to sports.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to radiographically investigate the influence of femoral tunnel placement in ACL reconstruction on early outcomes and return to sports due to anatomic and nonanatomic positioning.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was conducted from 2008 to 2010, with 86 athletes who underwent ACL reconstruction between anteromedial (AM) footprint and high AM position. Knee functional outcomes (IKDC objective and subjective, Tegner score, and Lysholm scale) return to sports and complications were analyzed at 6- and 12-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At follow-up, it was observed that tunnel projection along Blumensaat's line was correlated with functional outcomes on Tegner scale (at 6 and 12 months) and IKDC subjective (at 12 months). There was a significant difference in mean tunnel projection along Blumensaat's line when analyzing return to sports (73 ± 1.4 and 79 ± 1.7 %, respectively, for projections on return vs. no return to sports, p = 0.02) and complications (73 ± 1.3 vs. 78 ± 1.6 %, respectively, for projections on no complications vs. complications, p = 0.03). No differences were stated on coronal view. These correlations between tunnel positioning on functional outcomes could not be explained by demographic or baseline characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical relevance of this study is that tunnel positioning along AM footprint and high AM position represented by tunnel projection along Blumensaat's line is associated with early return to sports on previous Tegner level and better functional outcome in athletes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital das Clínicas, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, 333 Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos, 05403-010, São Paulo, Brazil, tiago.lazzaretti@usp.br.
authors.forename: Tiago Lazzaretti
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fregni
authors.forename: Kayleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pedrinelli
authors.forename: Gilberto Luis
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Camanho
authors.forename: Arnaldo José
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hernandez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D055815:Young Adult