title: Can the gracilis be used to replace the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee? A cadaver study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a four-strand gracilis-only graft can be used in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cadaver study.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study involved 16 cadaver knees. The length and diameter of the native ACL were measured in each one. The same measurements were performed on a four-strand graft of the gracilis only, the semitendinosus only and both tendons. Student's t-test was used to compare the various conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average diameter of the G4 construct was 0.07 mm greater (1%) than the native ACL (p=0.044). The average cross-sectional area of the G4 construct was 1.2 mm(2) greater (3.9%) than the native ACL (p=0.049). The G4 was on average 38.9 mm longer than the intra-articular portion of the ACL (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A four-strand gracilis construct meets the anatomical specifications for use as an ACL reconstruction graft. By using the gracilis only, the morbidity associated with harvesting the gracilis and semitendinosus tendons should be reduced. Further studies must be performed to compare the biomechanical properties of this graft with other graft types and also to evaluate how this four-strand gracilis graft behaves in a clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Institute, CHU Rangueil, Toulouse, France. Electronic address: cavaignac.etienne@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cavaignac
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Institute, CHU Rangueil, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Regis
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pailhé
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Institute, CHU Rangueil, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murgier
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Institute, CHU Rangueil, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reina
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lauwers
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Institute, CHU Rangueil, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chiron
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction / Q000379:methods*; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000601:surgery*; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation*
keywords: ACL reconstruction; Cadaver study; Gracilis; Short graft