Anatomıc femoral tunnel drilling in acl reconstruction without using of an accessory medial portal and evaluation of femoral tunnel positioning using 3-d computed tomography

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Characterization of the insertion site anatomy in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction has recently received increased attention in the literature, coinciding with a growing interest in anatomic reconstruction. The purpose of this study is to report a modified novel transportal technique to approach the center of anatomical femoral footprint in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and to investigate the accurate femoral tunnel position with 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT). Materials-Methods: We evaluated 11 patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction using a modified transportal technique to approach the center of anatomical femoral footprint in single bundle ACL reconstruction with hamstring autograft. Their femoral tunnel positions were investigated with 3D-CT postoperatively according to the quadrant method by three orthopedic surgeons. RESULTS: According to the quadrant method with 3D-CT, the femoral tunnel was measured at a mean of 33,49% ± 5,59% from the proximal condylar surface (parallel to the Blumensaat line) and 32,93% ± 3,82% from the notch roof (perpendicular to the Blumensaat line) with good interobserver (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICC], 0,991and 0,858, respectively with 0,975 – 0,997%95 CI) and intraobserver reliability (ICC, 0.875 and 0.893, respectively with 0,663 – 0,956%95 CI). CONCLUSIONS: Our modified transportal technique is anticipated to provide anatomical placement of the femoral tunnel during ACL reconstruction than the former traditional transtibial techniques. This technique is reproducible and also easier to perform than classic transportal technique does not need extra arthroscopic portal.