Comparison of efficacy of femoral tunnel creation with figure-of-four position and traditional knee hyperflexed position for arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using tendon autograft / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the efficacy of arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using tendon autograft with figure-of-four position and traditional knee hyperflexed position for femoral tunnel creation.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 46 patients with ACL injury admitted to Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from August 2019 to October 2019, including 26 males and 20 females; aged 24-40 years [(31.1±7.5)years]. All patients underwent arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using tendon autograft. The femoral tunnel was created with figure-of-four position in 21 patients (figure-of-four position group) and with traditional knee hyperflexed position in 25 patients (knee hyperflexed position group). The operation time was compared between the two groups. The center position, length and angle of femoral tunnel were evaluated and measured by three dimensional CT reconstruction and Bernard quadrant method at 8 weeks postoperatively. The knee function was assessed by knee Lysholm score preoperatively, at 8 weeks and at 1 year postoperatively. Complications were observed as well.Results:All patients were followed up for 2-20 months [(15.3±2.1)months]. The operation time was (28.5±2.6)minutes in figure-of-four position group, significantly less than (39.5±2.4)minutes in knee hyperflexed position group ( P<0.05). The tunnel center position was located at (27.1±1.4)% and (25.1±2.6)% within the Bernard quadrant in figure-of-four position group, similar with (28.1±2.8)% and (26.1±3.1)% in knee hyperflexed position group (all P>0.05). Total tunnel length and thick tunnel length were (42.1±2.4)mm and (34.1±2.4)mm in figure-of-four position group, significantly longer than (38.2±2.5)mm and (31.1±2.7)mm in knee hyperflexed position group (all P<0.05). The coronal plane angle of the tunnel was (41.1±2.4)° in figure-of-four position group, significantly smaller than (47.5±2.6)° in knee hyperflexed position group ( P<0.05). The sagittal plane angle of the tunnel was (42.1±1.4)° in figure-of-four position group, significantly greater than (37.1±1.8)° in knee hyperflexed position group ( P<0.05). Figure-of-four position group showed the knee Lysholm score of (53.4±5.2)points preoperatively, (97.1±1.4)points at 8 weeks postoperatively and (98.3±2.3)points at 1 year postoperatively. Knee hyperflexed position group showed the knee Lysholm score of (54.3±7.4)points preoperatively, (97.1±1.6)points at 8 weeks postoperatively and (98.1±1.3)points at 1 year postoperatively. The knee Lysholm score did not differ significantly between the two groups (all P>0.05), but the knee function was significantly improved in both groups when compared with that before the operation (all P<0.05). There were 1 patient with femoral tunnel fracture, one with injury to the medial condylar cartilage and one with injury to the posterior root of lateral meniscus in knee hyperflexed position group, while no above-mentioned complications occurred in figure-of-four position group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using tendon autograft with femoral tunnel creation through figure-of-four position and traditional knee hyperflexed position can both contribute knee functional recovery, but the figure-of-four position has the advantages of short operation time, accurate tunnel positioning, favorable length and angle of the tunnel and less complications.