Can an Anatomical ACL Reconstruction be Performed with Two Standart Portals?

OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have demonstrated that ACL reconstruction via anatomic tunnel placement would provide superior stability. In order to achieve an anatomic femoral tunnel, accessory anteromedial portal (three-portal tecnique) and medial Hoffa excision is necessary. Femoral tunnel drilling through a far anteromedial portal facilitates anatomic tunnel placement but can also results in shorter femoral tunnel and articular cartilage damage of the medial femoral condyle. Our purpose in this study was to evaluate whether an anatomic single bundle ACL reconstruction can be performed with the use of the two standart portals (anteromedial and anterolateral). METHODS: Fifty seven patient underwent single bundle ACL reconstruction in our clinic between 2012-2014, with the use of either standart portals or three-portal tecnique. We measured the tunnel length and and femoral tunnel angle in coronal plane to assess the reconstruction. Two portals group included thirty -three patients (twenty-nine males, four females with a mean age of 27±2,4) and three portals group included twenty–four patients (twenty-three males, one female with a mean age of 26±2,9). All patients were evaluated with computerized tomography (CT) scans to determine femoral tunnel length and obliquity. Tunnel length was defined as the distance between the intra-articular and extra-articular tunnel apertures in coronal sections. Femoral tunnel angle was measured in the coronal plane on AP radiographs of the knee. For statistical analysis, student t test was used for normal categorical data. A p value of <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Average tunnel length was 44.2 ±6.8 mm (range: 32.6-55.2) in two portals group and 32.8±7.9 mm (range: 24.8-43.2) in three portal group. The average tunnel length in three portal group was significantly smaller (p<0.05). According to radiographic measurement on the AP view, femoral tunnel angle averaged 48.20±7.10 (range:38.60-56.10) in two portals group and 47.20±6,30 (range: 39.40-55.20) in three portals group. This difference was not statistically significant (p=0.2). CONCLUSION: Femoral tunnels drilled with standart two-portal tecnique were longer than three-portal tecnique. However, femoral tunnel angles was not different in two groups. Tunnel characteristic in terms of anatomic position was obtained with standart two-portal tecnique. Consequently, femoral tunnels can be placed anatomically with standart portals.