Failure rate analysis and clinical outcomes of two different femoral tunnel positions using anteromedial portal technique in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

AIM: To analyze two different femoral tunnel positions and to evaluate their correlation with clinical, functional outcomes and surgical revision rate in patients who underwent primary arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with anteromedial (AM) portal technique. METHODS: From January 2015 to October 2018, we recruited 244 patients that underwent primary single-bundle ACL reconstruction, using four strand-semitendinosus graft and AM portal technique for femoral tunnel placement. Patients were divided into two groups based on the different femoral tunnel positions: 117 patients of group A had ACL footprint center femoral tunnel position compared with 127 patients of group B, with femoral tunnel placement close to the AM bundle footprint. Preoperatively and at last follow up, all patients were assessed subjectively by Lysholm, Tegner, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores, while Lachman, Pivot-shift, and KT-1000 tests were performed to evaluate knee joint stability. RESULTS: Group B patients showed significantly better results in Lysholm, objective, and subjective IKDC scores compared with patients of group A (P < 0.001). A significantly higher surgical failure rate was found in group A than in group B (10.26% vs. 2.3%; P < 0.001). A higher anterior knee laxity was recorded in patients of group A than in patients of group B (1.9 ± 1.1 vs. 1.3 ± 1 mm; P < 0.001); a reduction in mean anterior tibial translation from preoperative to final follow up was found in group B compared with group A (3.5 ± 1.2 vs. 2.7 ± 1.1 mm; P < 0.001). No significant differences in the Tegner scale were found between the two groups. CONCLUSION: ACL reconstruction performed using the AM portal technique showed better and more satisfactory clinical and functional outcomes associated with a lower failure rate when the femoral tunnel had been placed more eccentrically in the footprint, in the AM bundle center position.

Posterolateral bundle reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament to restore rotational stability of the knee.

Only 5-10% of partial tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are symptomatic, especially in high demand individuals or in patients practicing sports requiring rotational motions.. A certain preoperative diagnosis of this condition is challenging and often needs the combination of clinical examination, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and knee-laxity tool measurements. However, the arthroscopic examination of the torn ACL bundle is the most important factor in decision-making. Evidence in various studies have shown that the preservation of the ACL remnant and its surgical augmentation can bring important advantages in terms of vascularity and proprioception, resulting in better outcomes. The purpose of our paper was to describe the surgical technique of arthroscopic posterolateral (PL) bundle reconstruction with the preservation of the anteromedial (AM) bundle for ACL partial tears. Moreover, we reported the current knowledge about rationale, diagnosis and treatment of partial tears of ACL.