Comparison of two methods of femoral tunnel preparation in single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a prospective randomized study

• Main Author: Zhang,Qiang
• Publication Date: 2012
• Other Authors: Zhang,Shu, Li,Rui, Liu,Ya, Cao,Xuecheng
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: Acta Cirúrgica Brasileira (Online)
• Download full: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-86502012000800010
• topic: Anterior Cruciate Ligament; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

PURPOSE: To prospectively compare therapeutic effect of femoral tunnel preparation through the tibial tunnel and the anteromedial (AM) portal in single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. METHODS: Between June 2008 and October 2010, 76 patients underwent single-bundle ACL reconstruction by autogenous grafting of semitendinosus and gracilis tendon. All cases were randomly divided into two groups according to the method of femoral tunnel preparation: transtibial (TT) group (n=38) and anteromedial (AM) group (n=38). Lysholm knee score and the KT-1000 anterior laxity at 30° of pre-and post-operation were assessed for two groups. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients (TT group, 34; AM group, 31) were followed up for more than 12 months, with a follow-up rate of 86%. The Lysholm knee score and the KT-1000 anterior laxity 12 months after operation were significantly better than before reconstruction. The Lysholm knee score and the KT-1000 anterior laxity were not significantly different between the TT and AM groups after operation. CONCLUSION: Femoral tunnel preparation through tibial tunnel or the anteromedial portal in single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction shows same therapeutic effects.