Comparison between rigid and flexible systems for drilling the femoral tunnel through an anteromedial portal in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in femoral tunnel length and distance to the lateral anatomic structures when using standard and flexible guide pins for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) femoral tunnel drilling through a medial portal.

Methods: Using a medial arthroscopic portal in 10 cadaveric knees, we sequentially drilled straight and flexible guide pins into the center of the ACL femoral footprint using the same starting point. We recorded the interosseous length and distances to the peroneal nerve and the femoral origin of the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) for each pin.