Usage of Accessory Anteromedial Portal for Anatomical Placement of Femoral Tunnel in Transportal Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Prospective Study

Background and objective The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has an essential role in preserving the function and stability of the knee joint. It acts primarily to prevent anterior tibial translation. Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using quadrupled hamstring graft is the widely practiced modality for treating ACL injuries nowadays. The objective of this study was to assess the functional outcomes of ACL reconstruction using the transportal approach for a femoral tunnel through an accessory anteromedial portal (AAM). Materials and methods This prospective study included 35 patients who met the inclusion criteria. All patients underwent arthroscopic reconstruction of ACL using quadrupled hamstring tendon graft via transportal technique for femoral canal reaming through AAM. Patients were assessed for the functional outcome for a year using the Tegner-Lysholm knee scoring system. Results The analysis of the studied cases revealed that the mean age of the patients was around 27 years. Males were affected more than females. The left side (77.14%) was affected more than the right side (22.86%); 54.28% of patients had a history of road traffic accidents (RTAs). Preoperatively, 19 (54.28%) patients had poor and 16 (45.72%) patients had fair Tegner-Lysholm scores. After one year of follow-up, 29 (82.85%) of the patients had an excellent score as per the Tegner-Lysholm scoring system. Three patients had knee pain and thigh muscle wasting (2-3 cm), and two of them also had a sense of giving away during follow-up. Conclusion Anatomical reattachment of tendon graft for ACL reconstruction at femoral and tibial footprints is indispensable for good functional outcome and knee kinematics, and the usage of the AAM provides good visualization of femoral footprint and ease to surgeons during ACL reconstruction for making a near-accurate femoral tunnel and thereby achieving better outcomes.