Correlation Analysis of the Anterolateral Ligament Length with the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Length and Patient’s Height: An Anatomical Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anatomical characteristics of the anterolateral ligament of the knee (ALL) with the focus on potential gender differences. The ALL length and the length of the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) were taken in extension. The length of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) was measured at 120° flexion. We correlated the length of the ALL with the LCL and ACL with respect to potential gender differences. The ALL was significantly (p = 0.044) shorter in females (mean length: 32.8 mm) compared to males (mean length: 35.7 mm). The length of the ALL correlated significantly positively with the lengths of the ACL (p < 0.001) and the LCL (p < 0.001). There was no significant correlation with the total leg length (TLL) (p = 0.888) and body size (p = 0.046). Furthermore, TLL and donor size correlated significantly positively (p < 0.001). The ALL length correlated significantly positively with the ACL and the LCL length. The ALL length did neither correlate with the TLL nor the donor size. This fact may contribute to planning of graft harvesting in the upcoming techniques for ALL reconstruction.