Computer-assisted navigation and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: accuracy and outcomes

As many as 175,000 anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions are performed annually in the United States at a cost >1 billion dollars. Estimates of the rate of revision surgery are as high as 10%-20%, potentially resulting in as many as 35,000 revisions a year. In addition, errors that are not obvious at short-term or mid-term follow-up may have significant long--term effects in young patients. Studies have demonstrated that the majoriity of visions are related to technical errors, primarily tunnel placement. Computer-aided navigation systems provide enhanced precision in tunnel placement and may reduce the rate of revision surgery. Computer-aided systems can provide valuable data on rotational and translational laxity of the knee.