Relationship between peri-incisional dysesthesia and the vertical and oblique incisions on the hamstrings harvest in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of peri-incisional dysesthesia according to the skin incision technique for hamstring tendon graft harvest in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. METHODS: Thirty-three patients with ACL rupture were separated in two groups: group 1, with 19 patients submitted to the oblique skin incision to access the hamstrings and group 2–14 patients operated by vertical skin incision technique. The selected patients were assessed after surgery. Demographic data and prevalence of dysesthesia was measured by digital pressure around the skin incision and classified according to the Highet scale. RESULTS: The total rate of dysesthesia was 42% (14 patients). Five patients (26%) on the oblique incision group reported dysesthesia symptoms. On the group submitted to the vertical incision technique, the involvement was 64% (nine patients). On the 33 knees evaluated, the superior lateral area was the most affected skin region, while the superior medial and inferior medial regions were affected in only one patient (7.1%). No statistical differences between both groups were observed regarding patients’ weight, age, and height¸ as well as skin incision length. CONCLUSION: Patients who underwent reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament using the oblique access technique had five times lower incidence of peri-incisional dysesthesia when compared with those in whom the vertical access technique was used.