Graft Suturing Method Affects on Graft Diameter in Hamstring-Based Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Various benefits of needleless suture loop techniques in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction graft preparation have been discussed, yet their impact on graft diameter remains unexplored. We hypothesized that the suture loop technique would reduce the graft diameter compared to the conventional locking suture technique.

Fifty-seven patients whose grafts were made with the Krackow stitch (group K) and 54 patients with the suture loop (group SL) were analyzed retrospectively. (1) The distal (sutured side) diameter of each anteromedial bundle and posterolateral bundle was compared to the proximal (non-sutured side) diameter, and (2) the average of the proximal and distal graft diameters in each group was calculated.

In group K, 78.9% of anteromedial bundles and 40.3% of posterolateral bundles exhibited a larger distal diameter than the proximal, while in group SL, 42.6% of anteromedial bundles and 3.7% of posterolateral bundles showed a larger distal diameter. In both bundles, there were significantly fewer grafts with larger distal diameters in group SL (p < 0.001). The mean distal diameter of anteromedial bundles was smaller in group SL (6.33 ± 0.43 mm vs. 6.07 ± 0.43 mm, p < 0.005). Consequently, the distal cross-sectional area of anteromedial bundles in group SL was 8% smaller than that in group K.

The use of the suture loop technique resulted in a significantly smaller distal diameter of the anteromedial bundle. This reduces the size of the tibial tunnel and may contribute to a reduction in potential damage to adjacent structures.