Anterior cruciate ligament femoral side retained stump technique reduces enlargement of the femoral bone tunnel after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Abstract

Abstract Background Enlargement of the bone tunnel has become an unavoidable early complication after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, whether it is a single or double-bundle ACL reconstruction. Preservation of the ACL stump in ACL reconstruction reduces enlargement of the bone tunnel. The purpose of this study was to investigate the question of whether single-bundle ACL reconstruction using the ACL femoral side retained stump technique reduces enlargement of the femoral tunnel.Methods Forty patients who underwent single-bundle reconstruction of the ACL were included in this study. The patients were categorized into a Remnant preservation group (Group R) and the Non-remnant preservation group (Group N). In the Remnant preservation group, a high-flexion femoral side retained stump technique was used intraoperatively for the establishment of the femoral side bone tunnel, and in the Non-remnant preservation group, the conventional femoral positioning method was used, and MRI of the operated knee joints was performed at 3 months postoperatively, and the diameters of the femoral bone tunnel were measured in the coronal and axial positions at a point of 5mm away from the inner opening of the femoral bone tunnel. The size of the tunnel was compared between the intraoperative drilling of the bone tunnel and the size of the bone tunnel at 3 months postoperatively. Postoperative clinical assessment was Lysholm score.Results After a 3-month follow-up of 40 patients, the femoral bone tunnel enlargement rate was 22.4 ± 6.5% in the group without ACL femoral side stump preservation (Group N) and 15.1 ± 3.6% in the group with ACL femoral side stump preservation (Group R).Conclusion ACL femoral side retained stump technique in single-bundle ACL reconstruction reduces enlargement of the femoral bone tunnel.