title: EFFECT OF THE GRAFTING SECTION AREA ON ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION SURGERY - HISTOLOGICAL STUDY ON DOGS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To correlate the initial grafting section area with the outcomes from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery. Eight dogs underwent operations, divided into two groups according to graft size: Group A, 25% and Group B, 40% of the patellar ligament (PL) width.
  
  
  METHODS
  After eight months, the dogs were sacrificed for macroscopic and histological analysis on the reconstructed ligaments. Each dog's contralateral knee was used as a control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both groups, all the reconstructed ligaments were seen to be viable and hypertrophied. The morphology of the PL grafting had changed, which was observed by measuring the crimp and cellularity, and it resembled that of the ACL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The grafting section area did not influence the histological outcomes from ACL reconstruction surgery in dogs.
authors.affiliation: Physician in the Discipline of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Violante
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: PhD. Professor in the Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sérgio Swain
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Physician in the Discipline of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vannini
authors.affiliation: PhD. Professor in the Department of Morphology, Botucatu Institute of Biosciences, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sérgio Luiz
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Felisbino
authors.affiliation: PhD. Professor in the Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Emilio Carlos
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Curcelli
authors.affiliation: PhD. Professor in the Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gilberto José Caçdo
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: PhD. Professor in the Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Roberto
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: de Almeida Silvares
keywords: Anterior Cruciate Ligament; Dogs; Grafting; Histology