ABSTRACT
Background: Anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] is commonly injured especially in sportsmen. Autografts using tissue from various sources including the quadriceps tendon and patellar ligament are popular but still controversial due to varying degree of success. The morphological characteristics of the quadriceps tendon and the patellar ligament are of prime importance for this purpose
Objectives: This cadaveric study was undertaken to evaluate the morphometric characteristics of the quadriceps tendon and patellar ligament as an autograft for ACL reconstructive surgery
Study design: Qualitative cadaveric study
Material and Methods: The morphometric observations of the quadriceps tendon and patellar ligament on 36 [18 male and 18 female] adult formalin fixed cadavers were recorded by dissection. The observations included the length, breadth and thickness of the quadriceps tendon and the patellar ligament and were recorded on both sides separately in the male and female subjects. The data were tabulated, compared and statistically analyzed
Results: There was no significant difference in measurements on the right and left sides both in the male and in the female specimens. However the length and width of the quadriceps tendon was more in the males as compared to the females. The patellar ligament was significantly longer in the male specimens as was its width. Thickness of the patellar ligament, however, was not significantly different in the two genders
Conclusion: Both the quadriceps tendon and the patellar ligament are safe and convenient sources of autograft tissue for reconstruction of the ACL