Background: Harvested hamstring tendon length has received scant attention in published anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction literature, yet length can limit the ability to increase graft diameter by folding the tendon over more than once. Indeed, some ultrashort tendons may be too short to yield a clinically useful graft after being folded over just once. Ultimately, the total length of a harvested hamstring tendon may depend on the length of the tendon distal to its musculotendinous (MT) junction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To assess interobserver and intraobserver agreement of estimating anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) femoral tunnel positioning arthroscopically using circular and linear (noncircular) estimation methods and to determine whether overlay template visual aids improve agreement.
Methods: Standardized intraoperative pictures of femoral tunnel pilot holes (taken with a 30° arthroscope through an anterolateral portal at 90° of knee flexion with horizontal being parallel to the tibial surface) in 27 patients undergoing single-bundle ACL reconstruction were presented to 3 fellowship-trained arthroscopists on 2 separate occasions. On both viewings, each surgeon estimated the femoral tunnel pilot hole location to the nearest half-hour mark using a whole clock face and half clock face, to the nearest 15° using a whole compass and half compass, in the top or bottom half of a linear quadrant, and in the top or bottom half of a linear trisector.