Abstract
The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze sagittal obliquity of reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) using the central third of the patellar tendon from 1996 to 2001 with magnetic resonance (MR) images, and to correlate sagittal obliquity with clinical results. MR images were taken between 1 and 51 months (mean: 11.8 months) after surgery on 40 knees (24 men and 16 women). The mean age was 26.0 years (range: 14 to 49 years). MR images of a group of 80 normal ACL were also analyzed as a comparison group. Sagittal obliquity was measured between the anterior surface of the ACL and the proximal growth plate of the tibia in the sagittal plane (ACL tilting angle).
The mean ACL tilting angle of the reconstructed ACL (61.6±6.0 degrees) was significantly larger than that of normal ACL (49.1±6.2 degrees). The ACL tilting angle did not correlate significantly with the KT-2000 side-to-side difference, and did not correlate significantly with the Lysholm score. Although tibial and femoral tunnels were created at the ideal place, the ACL reconstructions were not precisely anatomical.
