title: Clinical anatomy and mechanical tensile properties of the rectus femoris tendon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to provide anatomical data and mechanical tensile properties for the rectus femoris tendon to determine if it is a feasible substitute for the anterior cruciate ligament during knee joint reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The length and width of the quadriceps femoris tendon were measured from ten adult cadavers (20 knees; age =48±2 years). The anatomic features of the patellar insertion on the quadriceps femoris tendon were also documented. The rectus femoris tendon and anterior cruciate ligament were harvested from an additional five fresh specimens (10 knees; age =41±3 years). To minimize dehydration, each specimen was wrapped in saline-moistened paper towels and stored at -10°C. We imposed tensile stresses on a total of twenty samples in a sample-driven machine at 10 mm/min until the specimens failed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The inserted and discrete widths of the rectus femoris tendon were 3.20±0.33 and 1.28±0.25 cm, respectively. The length of the tendon tissue was 6.96±0.80 cm and the length of mixing zone was 3.81±0.53 cm. The average thickness of the upper pole of the patella was 2.22±0.14 cm. In mechanical tensile properties, the unit modulus and unit maximum load of the rectus femoris tendon were both 63% of the anterior cruciate ligament.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on its anatomical and mechanical tensile properties, the rectus femoris tendon is a feasible donor site to reconstitute the anterior cruciate ligament.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine NO.389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Fei
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Jinshan Hospital of Fudan University No. 1508 Long Han Road, Jin Shan District, Shanghai 201508, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Chao
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: Rectus femoris tendon; anatomical; anterior cruciate ligament; mechanical