Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Change in the cross-sectional area of a patellar tendon graft after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

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

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the change in the cross-sectional area (CSA) of a patellar tendon graft after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, and its relationship with postoperative knee laxity. Forty patients (25 men and 15 women) were included in this study. Intraoperative CSA measurements were performed with an instrumented areamicrometer, while a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation was utilized for the assessment postoperatively. For intraoperative measurement, the average CSA of a 10-mm wide patellar tendon graft was 32.3 ± 7.0 mm2, while the average CSA measured at follow-up (mean: 14.8 months) was 48.8 mm2, showing a significant mean increase ratio of 49.4%. This value corresponded to 115% of the native ACL. The average CSA measured in 30 patients at 6 months was 49.7 mm2, almost equal to the value at the final follow-up (49.8 mm2) in the same patient group. Among potentially influential factors, postoperative notch width (available space for the ACL graft) had significant correlation with the CSA of the graft at follow-up. Finally, both intra- and postoperative CSA values did not correlate with postoperative knee laxity, indicating that a bigger graft does not guarantee a better laxity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.

Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Anderson AF, Dome DC, Gautam S et al (2001) Correlation of anthropometric measurements, strength, anterior cruciate ligament size, and intercondylar notch characteristics to sex differences in anterior cruciate ligament tear rates. Am J Sports Med 29:58–66

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Arnoczky SP, Travin GB, Marshall JL (1982) Anterior cruciate ligament replacement using patllar tendon: an evaluation of graft revascularization in dog. J Bone Joint Surg 64-A:217–224

    Google Scholar 

  3. Asahina S, Niga S, Hoshino A et al (1997) Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with multi-stranded hamstrings tendon (Japanese). J Jpn Orthop Assoc 71(3):s770

    Google Scholar 

  4. Butler DL, Hulse DA, Kay MD et al (1983) Biomechanics of cranial cruciate ligament reconstruction in the dog mechanical properties. Vet Surg 12:113–118

    Google Scholar 

  5. Butler DL, Grood ES, Noyes FR et al (1989) Mechanical properties of primate vascularized vs. nonvascularized patellar tendon grafts; Changes over time. J Orthop Res 7:68–79

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cummings JF, Grood ES, Wyatt R et al (1993) Healing response of anterior cruciate ligament autografts : effects of initial cross sectional area and graft tension. Proceedings of 39 th Annual Meeting of ORS:339

  7. Grood ES, Walz-Hasselfeld KA, Holden JP et al (1992) The correlation between anterior-posterior translation and cross-sectional area of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. J Orthop Res 10: 878–885

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hamada M, Horibe S, Mitsuoka T et al (1998) Cross-sectional area of reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament (second report) (Japanese). J Jpn Orthop Assoc 72(3):s534

    Google Scholar 

  9. Howell SM, Taylor MA (1996) Brace-free rehabilitation, with early return to activity, for knees reconstructed with double-looped semitendinosus and gracilis graft. J Bone Joint Surg 78-A:814–825

    Google Scholar 

  10. Jackson DW, Grood ES, Goldstein JD et al (1993) A comparison of patellar tendon autograft and allograft used for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in the goat model. Am J Sports Med 21:176–185

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Min BH, Chung WY, Cho JH (2001) Magnetic resonance imaging of reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament. Clin Orthop 393:237–243

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Muneta T, Takakuda K, Yamamoto H (1997) Intercondylar notch width and its relation to the configuration and cross-sectional area of the anterior cruciate ligament. Am J Sports Med 25:69–72

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Noyes FR, Butler DL, Grood ES et al (1984) Biomechanical analysis of human ligament grafts used in knee – ligament repairs and reconstructions. J Bone Joint Surg 66-A:344–352

    Google Scholar 

  14. Rougraff B, Shelbourne KD, Gerth PK et al (1993) Arthroscopic and histologic analysis of human patellar tendon autografts used for anterior cruciate reconstruction. Am J Sports Med 21:277–284

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Shelbourne KD, Davis TJ, Klootwyk TE (1998) The relationship between intercondylar notch width of the femur and the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament tears. A prospective study. Am J Sports Med 26:402–408

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Staubli HU, Schatzman L, Brunner P et al (1996) Quadriceps tendon and patellar ligament: cryosectional anatomy and structural property in young adults. Knee Surg Sports Tranmatol Arthrosc 4:100–110

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Toritsuka Y, Horibe S, Mitsuoka T et al (2003) Comparison between the cross-sectional area of bone-patellar tendon-bone grafts and hamstring tendon grafts obtained from the same patients. Knee Surg Sports Tranmatol Arthrosc 11:81–84

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Yoshiya S, Kurosaka M, Shoda M et al (2003) Cross-sectional area of a bone-patellar tendon-bone graft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. J Knee Surg 16:75–78

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yokohama Sports Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan

    K. Shimizu

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hyogo Medical College, Hyogo, Japan

    S. Yoshiya

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan

    M. Kurosaka

  4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan

    T. Sugihara, M. Beppu & H. Aoki

Authors
  1. K. Shimizu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Yoshiya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Kurosaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. T. Sugihara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. M. Beppu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. H. Aoki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K. Shimizu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shimizu, K., Yoshiya, S., Kurosaka, M. et al. Change in the cross-sectional area of a patellar tendon graft after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 15, 515–521 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-006-0206-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-006-0206-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation