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Three-dimensional computed tomography evaluation of anterior cruciate ligament footprint for anatomic single-bundle reconstruction

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

Femoral and tibial footprint coordinates have been well studied in double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. However, in a single-bundle reconstruction approach, the central coordinate of femoral and tibial footprints have not been determined. The purpose of this study was to describe the central point locations of the ACL footprints visualized by three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) images and analysed by the quadrant method.

Methods

Eight cadaveric knees were dissected, and the central points of ACL femoral and tibial footprints were marked and analysed using 3D CT images.

Results

In the present study, the means (and standard deviation) of ACL femoral footprint dimensions were in the ventral–dorsal plane and in the cranial–caudal plane 9.4 ± 0.8 and 15.6 ± 0.9 mm, respectively. In the tibial side, the means of ACL footprint dimensions were in the anterior–posterior and in the medial–lateral 18.5 ± 1.9 and 15.5 ± 1.0 mm, respectively. In the tomographic analyses, the means of femoral central location coordinates in the ventral–dorsal (y) and in the cranial–caudal (x) axes were 35.3 ± 4.5 and 30.0 ± 1.6 %, respectively. The means of tibial central location coordinates were in the anterior–posterior (y) and in the medial–lateral (x) axes, respectively: 40.5 ± 5.3 and 50.2 ± 1.3 %, respectively.

Conclusions

These computed tomographic coordinates might help future studies as a reference on ACL single-bundle anatomic reconstruction, with respect to the management of ACL revision surgery or in symptomatic patients after ACL reconstruction. Improvements in three-dimensional image acquisition could facilitate its intraoperative applicability in the coming years.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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No author or related institution has received any financial benefit from research in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Contorno, 5351, Sala 205, Funcionários, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, CEP 30110-923, Brazil

    Guilherme Moreira de Abreu-e-Silva, Mcbrite H. G. Castro Nunes de Oliveira, Gustavo Silame Maranhão, Lucas de Melo Castro Deligne, Eduardo Nilo Vasconcellos Novais, Tarcizo Afonso Nunes & Marco Antônio Percope de Andrade

  2. Hospital Felício Rocho, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Guilherme Moreira de Abreu-e-Silva & Rudolf Moreira Pfeilsticker

Authors
  1. Guilherme Moreira de Abreu-e-Silva
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  2. Mcbrite H. G. Castro Nunes de Oliveira
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  3. Gustavo Silame Maranhão
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  4. Lucas de Melo Castro Deligne
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  5. Rudolf Moreira Pfeilsticker
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  6. Eduardo Nilo Vasconcellos Novais
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  7. Tarcizo Afonso Nunes
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  8. Marco Antônio Percope de Andrade
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guilherme Moreira de Abreu-e-Silva.

Additional information

This study was carried out at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Orthopaedic and Post-Graduation Surgery Department, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and at Hospital Felício Rocho, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

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Abreu-e-Silva, G.M., Oliveira, M.H.G.C., Maranhão, G.S. et al. Three-dimensional computed tomography evaluation of anterior cruciate ligament footprint for anatomic single-bundle reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 23, 770–776 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-013-2703-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-013-2703-9

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