Arthroscopic posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a one-incision technique

Thirty-seven patients with a posterior cruciate ligament injury underwent arthroscopic posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a one-incision technique with bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft or allograft. The tibial tunnel was started at the distal end of the graft donor site on the proximal tibia and exited posteriorly at the flat spot 15 mm below the articular margin and just lateral to the midline. The femoral tunnel was made through the lateral anterolateral portal. The 25 mm long proximal bone plug was passed easily through the tibial tunnel using a specially designed suture pusher and guided into the femoral tunnel by pulling the leading suture with the knee flexed 30 degrees. Firm proximal and distal fixations were achieved with interference screws. At a minimum 2 year followup (range, 24-68 months), average knee ligament evaluation scores were 91.1 (range, 67-99) in the Lysholm knee scoring scale and 89.3 (range, 67-99) in the Hospital for Special Surgery knee ligament rating form. The average side to side difference of the posterior translation measured by the KT 2000 arthrometer was 6.08 (range, 5-7 mm) mm preoperatively and 2.2 (range, 0-6 mm) mm postoperatively. There were no significant differences between the acute and the chronic cases. The results of the isolated posterior cruciate ligament injury group were better than the combined ligamentous injury group. The one-incision technique minimizes injury to the extensor mechanism, especially the vastus medialis obliquus muscle, and medial scar. Rigid fixation of the long proximal bone plug allows early rehabilitation.