In Vivo Comparison of Isometricity between Navigational and Conventional Technique in an ACL Reconstruction / 대한정형외과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To compare isometricity between the navigational and conventional technique during an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction before fixating the graft. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients with an ACL insufficiency were enrolled in this study. After finishing the tibial tunnel preparation using a navigational technique, a femoral tunnel site was marked using either the navigational (Orthopilot(R)) or conventional (Arthrex(R) 5 mm off-set guide) technique. After passing the suture material attached to the guide pin through each femoral site, isometric tests were then performed using a specially designed device during full range of motion of the knee. RESULTS: An mean isometricity after the navigational and the conventional technique was 3.0 mm and 4.6 mm respectively. The isometricity after the navigational technique was significantly better than that after the conventional technique (p=0.000). The navigational isometric point was usually 0 to 5 mm anterior or antero-lateral to that at the point of the conventional technique. The mean distance between the tunnels by two techniques was 1.35 mm. There was a strong positive correlation between the difference in isometicity and the positional relationship of the femoral tunnel (r2=0.778, p=0.000). CONCLUSION: An ACL reconstruction using the navigational technique provides better isometricity than that obtained using the conventional technique.