Peroneus Longus Split Versus Semitendinosus Tendon Autograft Size: A Cross-sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• The anterior half of the peroneus longus tendon (AHPLT) is a viable autograft option for ligament reconstruction, associated with minimal donor-site morbidity.
• Limited clinical data exists regarding the specific graft size obtained from the AHPLT compared to other common autografts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the graft size (length and diameter) of the AHPLT with the semitendinosus tendon (ST).
• To investigate the predictive capability of anthropometric measurements for determining autograft size.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 128 patients undergoing knee ligament reconstruction.
• Patients received either AHPLT (50%) or ST (50%) grafts.
• Intraoperative graft sizes and patient anthropometric data were collected and analyzed using statistical methods including t-tests, correlation, and regression analyses.

Main Results:

• The AHPLT grafts were found to be slightly shorter (7.3 ± 0.6 cm) and thinner (7.7 ± 0.8 mm) than ST grafts (7.5 ± 0.7 cm and 8.0 ± 0.7 mm, respectively).
• Patient height showed a moderate to high correlation with both AHPLT and ST graft length.
• Weight and BMI influenced graft diameter prediction, with higher BMIs complicating the prediction of ST graft diameter more than AHPLT graft diameter.

Conclusions:

• The AHPLT provides a reliable autograft size for knee ligament reconstruction, comparable though slightly smaller than the ST.
• Patient height is the most significant predictor of graft length for both tendons.
• Predicting graft diameter is challenging and influenced by factors like BMI and limb circumference, particularly for the ST.