Fracture of the supracondylar femur after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using patellar tendon and iliotibial band tenodesis. A case report

Arthroscopy Assisted Reduction and Internal Fixation of a Lateral Femoral Condyle Fracture after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction with Graft Salvage and Reinforced Suspensory Femoral fixation - A Case Report

Introduction:

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using hamstring tendon graft is a commonly performed orthopedic surgery. Lateral femoral condyle fracture through the femoral tunnel is a rare complication following ACL reconstruction. These cases are reported to be managed in two stages, fracture fixation by open reduction and internal fixation with bone grafting of the femoral tunnel, followed by revision ACL reconstruction after the fracture union.

Case Report:

A 41-year-old male Kabaddi player underwent right knee arthroscopic ACL reconstruction following an ACL tear in January 2021, sustained a road traffic accident 7 weeks later and developed a lateral femoral condyle fracture. The graft was intact and trapped into the fracture site making fracture reduction difficult. The graft was lax due to the fixed loop button being trapped in the fracture. The patient was treated in a single stage by arthroscopy assisted fracture reduction and fixation with ACL graft salvage and reinforced suspensory femoral graft fixation to plate suspensory fixation.

Conclusion:

This case is a rare presentation of lateral condyle fracture after ACL reconstruction and both the issues are managed in a single stage with the help of detailed surgical planning, using utmost arthroscopy skills and keeping all the options of fixation devices ready on the table during the surgery.

Uncommon Complications after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) is a common surgical procedure, with good outcome in 75 to 97% of the cases. However, different complications have been described including infection, hemarthrosis, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE) with a rate ranging from 1 to 15%. There are few case reports in the literature describing rare complications after ACL-R and they can be divided into: (1) complications related to the fixation device (rupture, migration); (2) fractures (tibial or femoral side); (3) infections due to uncommon bacteria, mycobacterium, and mycosis; (4) rare vascular injuries; (5) nerve injuries; and (6) other rare complications. In case of fixation device rupture or migration, device removal can be easy but the diagnosis may be challenging. Patellar fracture after ACL-R may be related to harvesting and it is not uncommon. Conversely, femoral or tibial fractures are most frequently due to bone weakness related to bone tunnels. Some rare infections related to uncommon bacteria or mycosis are also described with potentially devastating joint damage. Popliteal artery injuries are uncommon in ACL-R but minor vessels damages are described with possible severe consequences for patients. Injuries to the infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve are not uncommon in ACL-R. However, there are few case reports also describing injuries to the saphenous nerve, the common peroneal nerve and the sciatic nerve. The aim of this paper is to review the literature describing uncommon complications after ACL-R, giving some more information about diagnosis and treatment.

Periprosthetic total knee fracture after remote reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament: a case report

Background

Distal femoral fracture is a rare, but significant, postoperative complication of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. However, there has not been a reported case of periprosthetic total knee arthroplasty fracture associated with a previous anterior cruciate ligament repair.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 51-year-old white man with a history of total knee arthroplasty and remote anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, who presented with a distal femoral periprosthetic fracture at the site of a previous anterior cruciate ligament augmentation staple.

Conclusions

Based on these findings, it may be important to consider removal of previous anterior cruciate ligament hardware prior to total knee arthroplasty to reduce risk of periprosthetic fracture, which should be determined on a patient-specific basis.

Avoiding Complications and Technical Variability During Arthroscopically Assisted Transtibial ACL Reconstructions by Using a C-Arm With Image Intensifier

BACKGROUND

Surgical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) can be complicated by incorrect and variable tunnel placement, graft tunnel mismatch, cortical breaches, and inadequate fixation due to screw divergence. This is the first report describing the use of a C-arm with image intensifier employed for the sole purpose of eliminating those complications during transtibial ACL reconstruction.

PURPOSE

To determine if the use of a C-arm with image intensifier during arthroscopically assisted transtibial ACL reconstruction (IIAA-TACLR) eliminated common complications associated with bone-patellar tendon-bone ACL reconstruction, including screw divergence, cortical breaches, graft-tunnel mismatch, and improper positioning of the femoral and tibial tunnels.

STUDY DESIGN

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

METHODS

A total of 110 consecutive patients (112 reconstructed knees) underwent identical IIAA-TACLR using a bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft performed by a single surgeon. Intra- and postoperative radiographic images and operative reports were evaluated for each patient looking for evidence of cortical breeching and screw divergence. Precision of femoral tunnel placement was evaluated using a sector map modified from Bernard et al. Graft recession distance and tibial α angles were recorded.

RESULTS

There were no femoral or tibial cortical breaches noted intraoperatively or on postoperative images. There were no instances of loss of fixation screw major thread engagement. There were no instances of graft-tunnel mismatch. The positions of the femoral tunnels were accurate and precise, falling into the desired sector of our location map (sector 1). Tibial α angles and graft recession distances varied widely.

CONCLUSION

The use of the C-arm with image intensifier enabled accurate and precise tunnel placement and completely eliminated cortical breach, graft-tunnel mismatch, and screw divergence during IIAA-TACLR by allowing incremental adjustment of the tibial tunnel and knee flexion angle. Incremental adjustment was essential to accomplish this. Importantly, a C-arm with image intensifier can be used with any ACL reconstruction that incorporates tunnels in the technique, with the expectation of increase in accuracy and precision and the elimination of common complications.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The use of an image intensifier during transtibial ACL reconstruction will substantially reduce the common complications associated with the procedure and improve both accuracy and precision of tibial and femoral tunnel placement. Use of an image intensifier unit is generalizable to an individual surgeon's preferences for graft choices and drilling techniques and will be especially valuable when the intercondylar architecture is altered from injury, time, or prior surgery.

Effect of ACL reconstruction tunnels on stress in the distal femur

PURPOSE

This study examined the change in femoral stress caused by graft tunnels drilled for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Using a computational model, the number, geometry and position of the graft tunnels exits were varied to determine the effect on bone stress.

METHODS

A finite element model of the distal femur was developed from a CT scan of a cadaveric knee. To assess the model, the strain calculated computationally was compared to experimentally measured strains in eleven unpaired human cadaver femurs. Using the computational model, the number, geometry and position of the graft tunnel exits were varied to determine the effect on bone stress based on the stress concentration factor: the ratio of bone stress with tunnels to intact bone stress.

RESULTS

The results indicated that the second tunnel in double-bundle ACL reconstruction results in approximately a 20 % increase in the maximum femoral stress as compared to single-bundle reconstruction. The highest stresses occur at the tunnel exits. The position of the tunnel exits effects femoral stress with the stress increasing slightly (AM SCR from 0.7 to 1 and PL SCR from 1.2 to 1.3) when the AM tunnel exit is moved anteriorly and having greater increases as the posterior lateral (PL) tunnel exit is moved laterally (PL SCR from 1.2 to 1.7) or posteriorly (PL SCR from 1.2 to 2).

CONCLUSION

In anatomical ACL reconstruction, the tunnel entrances are dictated by anatomy; however, there can be variations in tunnel exit positions. Consideration should be given when positioning tunnel exits on the effect on stress in the femur. Moving the PL tunnel exit laterally or posteriorly increases in the stress at the PL tunnel exit.

Peri-anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction femur fracture: a biomechanical analysis of the femoral tunnel as a stress riser

PURPOSE

Sixteen case reports of distal femur fractures as post-operative complications after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have been described in the literature. The femoral tunnel has been suggested as a potential stress riser for fracture formation. Additionally, double bundle ACL reconstructions may compound this risk. This is the first biomechanical study to examine the significance of a stress riser effect of the femoral tunnel(s) after ACL reconstruction. The hypotheses tested in this study are that the femoral tunnel acts as a stress riser for fracture and that this effect increases with the size of the tunnel (8 mm vs. 10 mm) and with the number of tunnels (1 vs. 2).

METHODS

Femoral tunnels simulating single bundle (SB) hamstring graft (8 mm), bone-patellar tendon-bone graft (10 mm), and double bundle (DB) ACL reconstruction (7, 6 mm) were drilled in fourth-generation saw bones. These three experimental groups and a control group consisting of native saw bones without tunnels were loaded to failure.

RESULTS

All fractures occurred through the tunnels in the DB group, whereas fractures did not consistently occur through the tunnels in the SB groups. The mean fracture load was 6,145N ± 471N in the native group, 5,691N ± 198N in the 8 mm SB group, 5,702N ± 282N in the 10 mm SB group, and 4,744N ± 418N in the DB group. The mean fracture load for the DB group was significantly lower when compared to the native, 8 mm SB, and 10 mm SB groups independently (P value = 0.0016, 0.0060, and 0.0038, respectively). The mean fracture loads for neither SB groups were not significantly different from the native group.

CONCLUSIONS

An anatomically placed femoral tunnel in single bundle ACL reconstruction in our experimental model was not a significant stress riser to fracture, whereas the two femoral tunnels in double bundle ACL reconstruction significantly decreased load to failure. The results support the sparsity of reported peri-ACL reconstruction femur fractures in single femoral tunnel techniques. However, the increased fracture risk in double bundle ACL reconstruction may be a cause for concern and impact patient selection.

Intra-articular lateral femoral condyle fracture following an ACL revision reconstruction

Lateral femoral condyle fractures following an ACL reconstruction are rare. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a lateral femoral condyle fracture following a revision ACL reconstruction. The patient's fracture was intra-articular, had a significant amount of soft tissue damage, and was further complicated by a large defect involving the bone tunnel from the ACL revision reconstruction. The patient was treated with an open reduction and internal fixation and recovered well.

Intra-articular distal femur fracture extending from an expanded femoral tunnel in an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructed knee: a case report

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a popular surgery with overall good results. However, postoperative fracture is a serious, albeit, rare complication. Femoral tunnel lysis may cause a stress riser effect leading to distal femur fractures after ACL reconstruction. We report a case in which a patient who underwent ACL reconstruction surgery 18 months before a low-energy twisting mechanism suffered a distal femur fracture requiring open reduction internal fixation.

Femoral fracture following knee ligament reconstruction surgery due to an unpredictable complication of bioabsorbable screw fixation: a case report and review of literature

We report an unusual case of femoral fracture from minimal trauma, due to the rapid disappearance of a bioabsorbable interference screw used for reconstruction of the posterolateral corner of the knee. The literature on bone tunnel fractures following knee ligament reconstruction surgery is also reviewed.

An unusual periarticular fracture following ipsilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

We report an unusual pattern of a peri and intra-articular knee fracture following ACL reconstruction. The pattern of injury was opposite to the graft tunnels which contradicts the well established iatrogenic stress riser theory which has been extensively described in the literature. The fractures were reduced anatomically by open means, the graft was found intact and preserved and the fractures were fixed internally protecting the graft and the tunnels. The patient made an uneventful recovery and the post operative MRI scan 12 months later demonstrated bone healing and an intact ACL. When the ACL graft is found intact in this type of injury, the fracture should be fixed around it taking care not to jeopardize its integrity or the tunnels.

Fratura supracondiliana do fêmur durante salto após reconstrução artroscópica do ligamento cruzado anterior

CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: A fratura distal do fêmur é uma das possíveis complicações no período pós-operatório de reconstrução de LCA, porém, de incidência rara. RELATO DE CASO: Descreve-se o caso de um atleta de 34 anos, gênero masculino, no quinto mês de pós-operatório de reconstrução de LCA. O caso evoluía normalmente de acordo com o protocolo estabelecido; o paciente apresentava bom controle e estabilidade sensoriomotora, quando sofreu fratura supracondiliana do fêmur ao realizar um salto durante atendimento fisioterápico. A reconstrução ligamentar foi realizada com enxerto dos músculos flexores do joelho e a fratura, ocasionada posteriormente, reduzida e fixada com placa e parafuso. Dez meses após a redução aberta e fixação interna da fratura, apresenta função regular na escala Lysholm, amplitude de movimento normal e força muscular grau V em flexores e extensores da coxa. DISCUSSÃO: Poucos relatos de caso semelhantes ao presente foram encontrados na literatura; a maioria apresentou fratura do fêmur após a reconstrução do LCA com tendão patelar. Este caso mostra-se relevante pela associação da fratura supracondiliana do fêmur com reconstrução ligamentar com tendões dos flexores, visto que apenas um trabalho seguiu tal direção. Dentre as prováveis causas dessa fratura, destacam-se uma fragilidade óssea por desuso e túnel ósseo femoral de diâmetro maior que o padrão, apesar de não haver consenso em relação a essas alterações. Uma hipótese sugerida pelos autores deste relato é de que o túnel ósseo de fixação do enxerto pode ter sido um intensificador de estresse sobre o local da fratura.

Stress fractures of the femur after ACL reconstruction with transfemoral fixation

The ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendons has become increasingly popular, in part because it is assumed that the complication rate associated with the technique and their severity are lower than with patellar tendon. Two cases of stress reaction of the medial supracondylar area of the femur after ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendons using BioTransfix (Arthrex, Naples, FL, USA) devices for fixation within femur are presented. Both patients were professional athletes (one soccer and one basketball player), and it is hypothesized that the accelerated rehabilitation program used might have represented a risk factor for stress fractures when associated with the guide pin exit hole in the medial femoral cortex. To our knowledge, no such cases have been published to date, but it is important to consider this possibility if an unexplained pain arises in the rehabilitation process of an ACL reconstruction using transfemoral fixation.

Fracture of the femoral tunnel after an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Fractures after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery are rare. Patella fractures can occur as a complication after bone-patellar tendon-bone autografts, and few case reports of tibia fractures have been published. Although reports of femur fractures have been published, the causes are attributed to stress risers other than the femoral tunnel. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a femoral tunnel serving as a stress riser after an ACL reconstruction with bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft. The patient's fracture resulted from minimal trauma and required surgical fixation.

A biomechanical analysis of four different methods of harvesting bone-patellar tendon-bone graft in porcine knees

BACKGROUND

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with use of bone-patellar tendon-bone graft is commonly performed to treat functional instability of the knee after injury of the anterior cruciate ligament. Patellar fracture is an underreported complication of this procedure, yet it may be a career-ending injury for a professional athlete. The purpose of this study was to design a new technique to procure the patellar bone plug when reconstructing the cruciate ligament with use of patellar tendon.

METHODS

Fifty-eight knees were harvested from eighteen to twenty-four-month-old pigs. Bone plugs of four geometrical shapes were cored out of the patellae from forty knees (four plug shapes for each of ten knees). Ten knees had no graft removed. Fifty knees were tested for the effects of a single impact. Eight knees (two plug shapes for each of four knees) were tested for the effects of repeated impacts. Data were analyzed statistically with use of an ordinal logistic model. The probability of impact failure of the patella at different energy levels was calculated.

RESULTS

Impact energy has been shown to have a significant effect on the outcome (p < 0.001). When controlling for energy level, there was a significant difference between the sharp and round corners (p < 0.01). The ordinal logistic model was found to be very good for predicting the outcome of impact testing. The impact energy required to create a 1% probability of complete fracture was 7 J for a patella with a sharp-cornered plug defect, 17 J for a patella with a trapezoidal plug, 22 J for a patella with a sharp-cornered defect with a drill-hole at the corner, 40 J for a patella with a round-cornered defect, and about 49 J for a normal patella. Repeat impact testing substantially damaged the patellae with sharp-cornered defects, as they failed earlier at a lower energy and after a lower number of impacts than did the patellae with round-cornered defects.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose the use of the round-cornered patellar bone plug when bone-patellar tendon-bone graft is harvested for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, to further reduce the small likelihood of a patellar fracture occurring intraoperatively or in the early postoperative rehabilitation phase.

Tibial plateau fracture after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Complications have been described with each technique for reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee, both open and arthroscopically assisted. The authors describe a case of tibial plateau fracture occurring 7 months after an ACL reconstruction using the half tunnel technique. The fracture occurred at the tibial fixation site and required open reduction with internal fixation. To our knowledge, only 2 cases of proximal tibial fracture after patellar tendon autograft ACL reconstruction have been previously reported. The authors hypothesize that patellar tendon harvesting with bone blocks and transosseous tibial tunnel can produce a "stress riser" effect and somehow act synergistically to create decreased strength at the level of proximal tibial metaphysis.