Risks, benefits, and evidence-based recommendations for improving anterior cruciate ligament outcomes.

Recently, injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament and subsequent surgical reconstructions have seen a great increase in interest from the perspectives of basic science, anatomy, mechanics, and clinical outcomes. Over the past few years, an emerging body of evidence has shown the importance of a more anatomic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, which uses sound anatomic and surgical principles, identifies an ideal graft for the patient, and ensures that all aspects of care (including postoperative rehabilitation) are fully addressed. It is helpful for orthopaedic surgeons to review the surgically relevant anatomy of the anterior cruciate ligament, graft choices, fixation techniques and constructs, and rehabilitation guidelines to optimize outcomes for their patients.

Augmentation of tendon-to-bone healing.

Tendon-to-bone healing is vital to the ultimate success of the various surgical procedures performed to repair injured tendons. Achieving tendon-to-bone healing that is functionally and biologically similar to native anatomy can be challenging because of the limited regeneration capacity of the tendon-bone interface. Orthopaedic basic-science research strategies aiming to augment tendon-to-bone healing include the use of osteoinductive growth factors, platelet-rich plasma, gene therapy, enveloping the grafts with periosteum, osteoconductive materials, cell-based therapies, biodegradable scaffolds, and biomimetic patches.

Minimally invasive posterior hamstring harvest.

Autogenous hamstring harvesting for knee ligament reconstruction is a well-established standard. Minimally invasive posterior hamstring harvest is a simple, efficient, reproducible technique for harvest of the semitendinosus or gracilis tendon or both medial hamstring tendons. A 2- to 3-cm longitudinal incision from the popliteal crease proximally, in line with the semitendinosus tendon, is sufficient.

Anatomic ACL reconstruction produces greater graft length change during knee range-of-motion than transtibial technique.

Purpose: Because distance between the knee ACL femoral and tibial footprint centrums changes during knee range-of-motion, surgeons must understand the effect of ACL socket position on graft length, in order to avoid graft rupture which may occur when tensioning and fixation is performed at the incorrect knee flexion angle. The purpose of this study is to evaluate change in intra-articular length of a reconstructed ACL during knee range-of-motion comparing anatomic versus transtibial techniques.

Methods: After power analysis, seven matched pair cadaveric knees were tested.

Long-term failure of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to review and describe the cumulative incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft rupture and/or clinical objective failures at greater than 10 years after ACL reconstruction.

Methods: A PubMed search was performed to identify and systematically evaluate all studies performed between 1980 and 2012 with clinical outcomes after intra-articular, non-artificial ACL reconstruction and minimum 10-year follow-up. Studies reporting standardized surgical technique, ACL graft rupture, and objective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) grade or ligament stability examination were included for analysis.

Randomized controlled trial comparing all-inside anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction technique with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with a full tibial tunnel.

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to compare the clinical effectiveness of full-tunnel anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery with all-inside ACL reconstruction.

Methods: After statistical power analysis was performed and institutional review board approval and patient informed consent were obtained, 150 patients having ACL reconstruction were prospectively randomized to an all-inside or full-tibial tunnel technique. Outcome (International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC] Knee Examination Form, IKDC Subjective Knee Evaluation Form, Knee Society Score [KSS], Short Form 12 [SF-12] score, femoral or tibial tunnel or socket widening, narcotic consumption, and visual analog scale [VAS] pain score compared with baseline) was measured and recorded preoperatively and at various postoperative time points with a minimum follow-up of 2 years.

All-inside anterior cruciate ligament graft link: graft preparation technique.

The anatomic single-bundle, all-inside anterior cruciate ligament graft-link technique requires meticulous graft preparation. The graft choice is no-incision allograft or gracilis-sparing, posterior semitendinosus autograft. The graft is linked, like a chain, to femoral and tibial TightRope cortical suspensory fixation devices with adjustable-length graft loops (Arthrex, Naples, FL) in the following manner: the graft is quadrupled, and the free ends are first whip-stitched and then sutured with a buried-knot technique, 4 times through each strand in a loop.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with autografts compared with non-irradiated, non-chemically treated allografts.

Purpose: Allograft anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction obviates donor site morbidity and may accelerate postoperative recovery. However, allograft use can lead to increased rates of surgical failure, particularly when chemical processing or irradiation is used. Few studies have rigorously evaluated the comparative outcomes of autografts and fresh-frozen allograft tissue for ACL reconstruction.

Technique for creating the anterior cruciate ligament femoral socket: optimizing femoral footprint anatomic restoration using outside-in drilling.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate and optimize anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) femoral outside-in drilling technique with a goal of anatomic restoration of the footprint morphologic length, width, area, and angular orientation.

Methods: Ex vivo, computer navigation was used to create virtual 3-dimensional maps of femoral bone tunnels for ACL drill guide pin insertion paths on small, medium, and large models of averaged femora considering various pin insertion angles to the femur. We then determined which pin insertion angle resulted in an ACL femoral footprint optimally matching normal human anatomic length, width, area, and angular orientation of the footprint long axis.