HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yamazaki, S. Articles by Tohyama, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yamazaki, S. Articles by Tohyama, H. Related Collections Reconstruction Animal studies Biomechanics Graft fixation

The Effect of Graft-Tunnel Diameter Disparity on Intraosseous Healing of the Flexor Tendon Graft in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Shuji Yamazaki, MD, Kazunori Yasuda, MD, PhD^,, Fumihisa Tomita, MD, Akio Minami, MD, PhD and Harukazu Tohyama, MD, PhD

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
Department of Medical Bioengineering and Sports Medicine, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan

Presented at the 25th annual meeting of the AOSSM, Traverse City, Michigan, June 1999.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Kazunori Yasuda, MD, PhD, Department of Medical Bioengineering and Sports Medicine, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Kita-15 Nishi-7, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan

Background: Graft-to-tunnel healing is a significant factor in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, but there have been few studies on the effect of graft-tunnel diameter disparity on intraosseous healing of the flexor tendon graft.

Hypothesis: Graft-tunnel diameter disparity of 2 mm has no effect on the pull-out strength of the graft from the bone tunnel.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: Forty-two beagle dogs were divided into three groups. In each animal, reconstruction was performed in the left knee by using a 4-mm diameter autogenous flexor tendon for groups 1 and 2 and by using a 4-mm wide bone-patellar tendon-bone graft in group 3. A 4-mm diameter tunnel was drilled in the tibia of groups 1 and 3 and a 6-mm diameter tunnel, in group 2. In each group, seven animals were sacrificed at 3 and 6 weeks.

Results: The perpendicular fibers connecting the graft to the bone were generated in groups 1 and 2, and the number appeared to be higher in group 2, where the space was greater. There was no significant difference in the ultimate failure load between groups 1 and 2 at each period.

Conclusion: Graft-tunnel diameter disparity of up to 2 mm may not adversely affect intraosseous healing of the flexor tendon graft.

Clinical Relevance: Surgeons need not be overly concerned about minor graft-tunnel diameter disparities.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. Sasaki, R. Kuroda, K. Ishida, S. Kubo, T. Matsumoto, Y. Mifune, K. Kinoshita, K. Tei, T. Akisue, Y. Tabata, et al. Enhancement of Tendon-Bone Osteointegration of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft Using Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Am. J. Sports Med., August 1, 2008; 36(8): 1519 - 1527. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. C. Park, E. R. Cadet, W. N. Levine, L. U. Bigliani, and C. S. Ahmad Tendon-to-Bone Pressure Distributions at a Repaired Rotator Cuff Footprint Using Transosseous Suture and Suture Anchor Fixation Techniques Am. J. Sports Med., August 1, 2005; 33(8): 1154 - 1159. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. H. Lubowitz, D. Guttmann, T. L. N. Jarvinen, P. Kousa, P. Kannus, and M. Jarvinen The fixation strength of six hamstring tendon graft fixation devices in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: parts I and II. Am. J. Sports Med., September 1, 2003; 31(5): 811 - 811. [Full Text] [PDF]