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Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 6/2020

01-06-2020 | Computed Tomography | KNEE

Inclination of Blumensaat’s line influences on the accuracy of the quadrant method in evaluation for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Authors: Koji Iwasaki, Masayuki Inoue, Yasuhiko Kasahara, Koichiro Tsukuda, Harunori Kawahara, Isao Yokota, Eiji Kondo, Norimasa Iwasaki, Kazunori Yasuda

Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy | Issue 6/2020

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Abstract

Purpose

The quadrant method is used to evaluate the bone tunnel position with the grid based on the Blumensaat’s line in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. This study aimed to clarify the influence of variation in the Blumensaat’s line on the accuracy of the quadrant method measurements.

Methods

A retrospective review of the radiological records of patients aged 18–30 years who underwent computed tomography (CT) scanning of the knee joint was conducted. The Blumensaat’s line inclination angle (BIA), along with the most posterior point of the posterior condyle (point P) position using the quadrant method and morphology of the Blumensaat’s line were measured on true lateral transparent three-dimensional CT images of the distal femoral condyle in 147 patients. Statistical analysis was conducted to determine associations among these measurements.

Results

BIA was 37.5° (standard deviation 4.2°; range 27°–48°). The point P position was significantly correlated with BIA in the high/low (R2 = 0.590, P < 0.0001) and deep/shallow (R2 = 0.461, P < 0.0001) directions. The morphology of the Blumensaat’s line was straight in 35 knees (23.8%); whereas, the remaining 112 knees (76.2%) were not straight but had some hill on the Blumensaat’s line. No significant difference among the morphological variation of the Blumensaat’s line was observed in BIA and the point P position.

Conclusion

There was a strong correlation between BIA and the point P measured using the quadrant method, suggesting the influence of the Blumensaat’s line on the accuracy of the quadrant method measurements in ACL reconstruction. As for the clinical relevance, surgeons should be careful in application of the quadrant method for ACL reconstruction, because the variation of the Blumensaat’s line inclination influences the accuracy of this method.
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Metadata
Title
Inclination of Blumensaat’s line influences on the accuracy of the quadrant method in evaluation for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
Authors
Koji Iwasaki
Masayuki Inoue
Yasuhiko Kasahara
Koichiro Tsukuda
Harunori Kawahara
Isao Yokota
Eiji Kondo
Norimasa Iwasaki
Kazunori Yasuda
Publication date
01-06-2020
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy / Issue 6/2020
Print ISSN: 0942-2056
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7347
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-019-05619-8

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