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Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 11/2019

01-11-2019 | KNEE

Safe drilling angles avoid femoral tunnel complications during combined anterolateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Authors: Cristian Jette, Jaume Pomés, Sergi Sastre, David Gutierrez, Manuel Llusa, Andrés Combalia

Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy | Issue 11/2019

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Abstract

Purpose

To determine the best angle to drill the femoral tunnels of an anterolateral ligament (ALL) anatomic reconstruction combined with a single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction to avoid tunnel collisions and cortical disruption.

Methods

Ten cadaveric knees were studied. Single-bundle anatomic ACL femoral tunnels were arthroscopically drilled. The starting point of the ALL femoral tunnel was located posterior and superior to the lateral epicondyle. ALL tunnels were drilled at four different angulations: (1) 0° axial/0° coronal, (2) 0° axial/30° coronal superior, (3) 30° axial anterior/0° coronal, and (4) 30° axial anterior 30° coronal superior. Specimens were scanned by computed tomography to measure the relations of each trajectory with the ACL socket and the nearest cortical bone.

Results

None of the four trajectories studied presented risk of collision with the ACL. The tunnel at 30° anterior/30° proximal presented the safest distance to the ACL socket (P = 0.01) [mean distance 18.6 mm (SD ± 6.7)]. However, both tunnels angled at 0° in the axial plane presented a high risk of posterior femoral cortex disruption (P = 0.01), either by close proximity or direct contact in some specimens (mean distance 3.1 mm (SD ± 2.8) at 0° axial/0° coronal and 3.7 mm (SD ± 2.2) at 0° axial/30° coronal).

Conclusions

When performing simultaneous ACL and ALL ligament reconstruction, the ALL femoral tunnel should be drilled with an angle of 30° anterior in the axial plane and 30° proximal in the coronal plane. Tunnels with an angle of 0° in the axial plane showed high risk of contact and disruption of the posterior femoral cortex; thus, these angles should be avoided. The clinical relevance of this work is that an ALL anatomical reconstruction does not represent a risk when performing a simultaneous ACL reconstruction as long as the ALL tunnel is reamed with a proximal and anterior angulation.
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Metadata
Title
Safe drilling angles avoid femoral tunnel complications during combined anterolateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
Authors
Cristian Jette
Jaume Pomés
Sergi Sastre
David Gutierrez
Manuel Llusa
Andrés Combalia
Publication date
01-11-2019
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy / Issue 11/2019
Print ISSN: 0942-2056
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7347
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-019-05388-4

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