Abstract
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a commonly injured ligament in the knee. Bone tunnel widening is a known phenomenon after soft-tissue ACL reconstruction and etiology and the clinical relevance has not been fully elucidated. Osteoconductive compounds are biomaterials providing an appropriate scaffold for bone formation such as a demineralized bone matrix. Osteoinductive materials contain growth factors stimulating bone lineage cells and bone growth. A possible application of osteoinductive/osteoconductive (OIC) material is in ACL surgery. We hypothesized that OIC placed in ACL bone tunnels: (1) reduces tunnel widening, (2) improves graft maturation, and (3) reduces tunnel ganglion cyst formation. To test this hypothesis, this study evaluated the osteogenic effects of demineralized bone matrix (DBM) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on tunnel widening, graft maturation, and ganglion cyst formation. This was a randomized controlled clinical trial pilot study. A total of 26 patients that elected to have ACL reconstruction surgery were randomized between the OIC and control group. Measurements of tunnel expansion and graft-tunnel incorporation were conducted via the quantitative image analysis of MRI scans performed at six months after surgery for both groups. No patients had adverse post-operative reactions or infections. The use of OIC significantly reduced tunnel widening (p < 0.05) and improved graft maturation (p < 0.05). Patients treated with OIC had a significantly lower prevalence of ganglion cyst compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The use of OIC has measurable effects on the reduction of tunnel widening, improved graft maturation, and decreased size of ganglion cyst after ACL reconstruction. This study explored the utilization of biologics to minimize bone tunnel widening in ACL reconstruction surgery.