A More Flattened Bone Tunnel Has a Positive Effect on Tendon-bone Healing in the Early Period After ACL Reconstruction

Overview

Journal Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc

Publisher Wiley

Specialties Emergency Medicine
General Surgery
Orthopedics

Date 2019 Mar 17

PMID 30877317

Citations 17

Authors

Fengyuan Zhao

Xiaoqing Hu

Jiahao Zhang

Weili Shi

Bo Ren

Hongjie Huang

Yingfang Ao

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a flattened bone tunnel has a positive effect on the tendon-bone healing (TBH) process in the early period after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Methods: Seventy-two New Zealand White rabbits were randomly allocated into two groups, the flattened tunnel (FT) group and the conventional round tunnel (RT) group. We compared the cross-sectional areas and diameters of the bone tunnels between the two groups through computed tomography (CT) scanning. TBH results between the two groups were assessed by histological analysis, micro-CT scanning and biomechanical tests at 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks after operation.

Results: The cross-sectional areas of the bone tunnels between the two groups were almost the same. However, the shape of bone tunnels in the FT group was more flattened. A faster cellular and collagen remoulding process were found in the FT group. Semiquantitative histological analysis of Safranin O staining showed that there was more fibrocartilage formation in the interface region in the FT group (P < 0.05). Sirius Red staining showed that the tissues in the interface areas were more intense in the FT group. Micro-CT scanning showed that more new bone formation could be found in the interface region in the FT group. The biomechanical tests also showed that FT ACL reconstruction will result in a stronger regenerated tendon-bone interface.

Conclusions: Our study found that a flattened bone tunnel accelerated TBH in the early period after ACL reconstruction surgery in a rabbit model, which lays the groundwork for further clinical practice of this ACL reconstruction method.

Citing Articles

A Flat Reconstruction of the Medial Collateral Ligament and Anteromedial Structures Restores Native Knee Kinematics: A Biomechanical Robotic Investigation.

Deichsel A, Peez C, Raschke M, Albert A, Herbort M, Kittl C Am J Sports Med. 2024; 52(13):3306-3313.

PMID: 39360333 PMC: 11542325. DOI: 10.1177/03635465241280984.

Modified Anatomical Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction with Flat Semitendinosus Graft and C-shaped Tibial Canal.

Chamieh M, Mourad W, Piontek T Arthrosc Tech. 2024; 13(1):102835.

PMID: 38312879 PMC: 10838054. DOI: 10.1016/j.eats.2023.09.011.

Effect of anteromedial portal location on femoral tunnel inclination, length, and location in hamstring autograft-based single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a prospective study.

Alomar A, Baltow B, Almogbil I Knee Surg Relat Res. 2023; 35(1):26.

PMID: 38012782 PMC: 10680354. DOI: 10.1186/s43019-023-00202-5.

Increased ACL direct insertion coverage provided more positive biomechanical effects on graft and bone tunnel during knee flexion: a simulation study.

Xiao Y, Liang Z, Shen S, Liu F, Hu H, Chen B J Exp Orthop. 2023; 10(1):108.

PMID: 37897510 PMC: 10613193. DOI: 10.1186/s40634-023-00677-x.

Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament: a historical view.

DAmbrosi R, Meena A, Arora E, Attri M, Schafer L, Migliorini F Ann Transl Med. 2023; 11(10):364.

PMID: 37675316 PMC: 10477645. DOI: 10.21037/atm-23-87.

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