Femoral offset aimer use is not associated with improved anatomic accuracy in hamstring ACL reconstruction: A 3D-CT...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Biomedical imaging
• Radiology

Background:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a common orthopedic procedure.
• Accurate tunnel placement is crucial for successful ACL reconstruction outcomes.
• Hamstring autografts are frequently used for ACL reconstruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate femoral and tibial tunnel positioning after hamstring autograft ACL reconstruction using 3D-CT.
• To determine if a 7-mm femoral offset aimer impacts tunnel placement.
• To assess the influence of surgeon experience on tunnel accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional study of 86 patients (aged 18-50) undergoing primary single-bundle hamstring ACL reconstruction.
• Postoperative 3D-CT imaging was used to assess femoral and tibial tunnel positions.
• Analysis of the association between tunnel accuracy, 7-mm offset aimer use, and surgeon experience.

Main Results:

• Femoral and tibial tunnels were anatomic in 76.7% and 67.4% of cases, respectively.
• 7-mm offset aimer use was linked to more posterior femoral tunnel placement but not improved overall anatomic accuracy.
• Surgeon experience showed no association with femoral or tibial tunnel placement accuracy.

Conclusions:

• The 7-mm femoral offset aimer influences femoral tunnel position but does not enhance overall anatomic accuracy in hamstring autograft ACL reconstruction.
• Surgeon experience does not correlate with improved tunnel placement accuracy.
• The clinical significance of these radiological findings requires further investigation.