Orthopaedic surgery
"Tension Suspension" Remnant-Preserving ACL Reconstruction Promotes the Early Maturity of the Graft Ligament
By Liang J, Huang G, Yang W and 4 others.
Abstract
Purpose
The clinical application of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) remnant preservation remains controversial, and conventional remnant-preserving techniques cannot fully maximize the biological potential of ACL remnants. To compare graft ligamentization, femoral tunnel enlargement, and clinical functional scores between "tension suspension" remnant-preserving anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and single-bundle anatomical ACLR.
Methods
Forty-eight patients enrolled from December 2021 to June 2023 were divided into non-preserving remnant (NPR, n = 18) and preserving remnant (PR, n = 30) groups. At 3 and 6 months postoperatively, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee was performed to measure graft signal noise quotient (SNQ) of the region of interest (ROI) and femoral tunnel diameter changes. Lysholm, IKDC, and Tegner scores were assessed at 6 months. Demographic and preoperative data were analyzed; intergroup comparisons of graft SNQ, femoral tunnel diameter changes, and clinical scores were conducted. Spearman correlation analysis evaluated the relationship between graft SNQ and knee function scores.