CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sports Med Int Open 2022; 6(01): E25-E31
DOI: 10.1055/a-1807-8549
Orthopedics & Biomechanics

Analysis of Hemodynamic Changes After Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction

1   Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
,
Yuji Arai
2   Department of Sports and Para-Sport Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
,
Shuji Nakagawa
2   Department of Sports and Para-Sport Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
,
Yuta Fujii
1   Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
,
Kenta Kaihara
1   Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
,
Kenji Takahashi
1   Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

The resumption of blood flow is an important factor in the remodeling process of the graft. The purpose of this study is to evaluate hemodynamic changes after medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction using magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) as the evaluation of graft remodeling. Eleven knees that underwent anatomical MPFL reconstruction with the semitendinosus tendon were studied. We evaluated the blood flow around the bone tunnel wall in the arterial phase using MRA approximate 3 months and 1 year after surgery. Clinical and radiological evaluations were also analyzed. MRA showed an inflow vessel into the bone tunnel wall from the medial superior genicular artery on the femoral side, and from the articular branch of the descending genicular artery and the medial superior genicular artery on the patellar side. This contrast effect was decreased at 12 months after surgery in all cases. The clinical scores improved from baseline one year postoperatively. We revealed the blood flow to the bone tunnel wall after anatomical MPFL reconstruction is detected by MRA. The blood flow started within 2 or 3 months postoperatively and was sustained for 12 months. This study supported remodeling of the graft continues 3 months after surgery when the conformity of the patellofemoral joint stabilizes.



Publication History

Received: 06 November 2021
Received: 12 March 2022

Accepted: 14 March 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
04 April 2022

Article published online:
29 April 2022

© 2022. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 
  • References

  • 1 Falconiero RP, DiStefano VJ, Cook TM. Revascularization and ligamentization of autogenous anterior cruciate ligament grafts in humans. Arthroscopy 1998; 14: 197-205
  • 2 Janssen RP, Scheffler SU. Intra-articular remodelling of hamstring tendon grafts after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2014; 22: 2102-2108
  • 3 Kim JH, Oh E, Yoon YC. et al. Remnant-tensioning single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction provides comparable stability to and better graft vascularity than double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in acute or subacute injury: a prospective randomized controlled study using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Arthroscopy 2021; 37: 209-221
  • 4 Garika SS, Sharma A, Razik A. et al. Comparison of F18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging as markers of graft viability in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Am J Sports Med 2019; 47: 88-95
  • 5 Camp CL, Klinger CE, Lazaro LE. et al. Osseous vascularity of the medial elbow after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction: a comparison of the docking and modified Jobe techniques. 2018 6. 2325967118763153
  • 6 Arai Y, Hara K, Takahashi T. et al. Evaluation of the vascular status of autogenous hamstring tendon grafts after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in humans using magnetic resonance angiography. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2008; 16: 342-347
  • 7 Terauchi R, Arai Y, Hara K. et al. Magnetic resonance angiography evaluation of the bone tunnel and graft following ACL reconstruction with a hamstring tendon autograft. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2014; 24: 169-175
  • 8 Kanamura H, Arai Y, Hara K. et al. Quantitative evaluation of revascularization at bone tunnels and grafts with contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Int Orthop 2016; 40: 1531-1536
  • 9 Fujii Y, Nakagawa S, Arai Y. et al. Clinical outcomes after medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction: an analysis of changes in the patellofemoral joint alignment. Int Orthop. 2020 Online ahead of print
  • 10 Harriss DJ, Macsween A, Atkinson G. Ethical standards in sport and exercise science research: 2020 update. Int J Sports Med 2019; 40: 813-817
  • 11 Toritsuka Y, Amano H, Mae T. et al. Dual tunnel medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction for patients with patellar dislocation using a semitendinosus tendon autograft. Knee 2011; 18: 214-219
  • 12 Nakagawa S, Arai Y, Kan H. et al. Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction procedure using a suspensory femoral fixation system. Arthrosc Tech 2013; 2: e491-e495
  • 13 Hara K, Arai Y, Ohta M. et al. A new double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the posteromedial portal technique with hamstrings. Arthroscopy 2005; 21: 1274
  • 14 Nomura E, Inoue M, Osada N. Anatomical analysis of the medial patellofemoral ligament of the knee, especially the femoral attachment. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2005; 13: 510-515
  • 15 Lieber AC, Steinhaus ME, Liu JN. et al. Quality and variability of online available physical therapy protocols from academic orthopaedic surgery programs for medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction. Orthop J Sports Med 2019; 2: 2325967119855991
  • 16 Zaman S, White A, Shi WJ. et al. Return-to-play guidelines after medial patellofemoral ligament surgery for recurrent patellar instability: A systematic review. Am J Sports Med 2018; 46: 2530-2539
  • 17 Kujala UM, Jaakkola LH, Koskinen SK. et al. Scoring of patellofemoral disorders. Arthroscopy 1993; 9: 159-163
  • 18 Tecklenburg K, Dejour D, Hoser C. et al. Bony and cartilaginous anatomy of the patellofemoral joint. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2006; 14: 235-240
  • 19 Dejour D, Le Coultre B. Osteotomies in patello-femoral instabilities. Sports Med Arthrosc 2007; 15: 39-46
  • 20 Tegner Y, Lysholm J. Rating systems in the evaluation of knee ligament injuries. Clin Orthop Relat Res 1985; 198: 43-49
  • 21 Kobayashi M, Watanabe N, Oshima Y. et al. The fate of host and graft cells in early healing of bone tunnel after tendon graft. Am J Sports Med 2005; 33: 1892-1897
  • 22 Wen CY, Qin L, Lee KM. et al. Peri-graft bone mass and connectivity as predictors for the strength of tendon-to-bone attachment after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Bone 2009; 45: 545-552
  • 23 Unterhauser FN, Bail HJ, Hoher J. et al. Endoligamentous revascularization of an anterior cruciate ligament graft. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2003; 414: 276-288