Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of the Integration and Maturation of Semitendinosus-Gracilis Graft in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Autologous Platelet Concentrate

Figueroa, David; Melean, Patricio; Calvo, Rafael; Vaisman, Alex; Zilleruelo, Nicolás; Figueroa, Francisco; Villalón, Ignacio

doi:10.1016/j.arthro.2010.02.010

« Previous Next »Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery
Volume 26, Issue 10 , Pages 1318-1325, October 2010

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of the Integration and Maturation of Semitendinosus-Gracilis Graft in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Autologous Platelet Concentrate

Knee Surgery Unit, Orthopaedic Surgery Department, and Radiology Department, Clínica Alemana and Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile

Received 14 July 2009; accepted 12 February 2010. published online 30 August 2010.

Purpose

To evaluate integration and maturation of semitendinosus-gracilis (STG) grafts in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients who underwent ACL reconstruction with STG with and without autologous platelet concentrate (APC).

Methods

A randomized single–blinded evaluator prospective study was performed in 2 consecutive series of patients who underwent reconstruction over a 14-month period: 30 with APC use (group A) and 20 as control subjects (group B). At 6 months, an MRI evaluation was performed, with observation of the graft's maturation and presence or absence of synovial fluid at the tunnel-graft interface. To facilitate interpretation, a scoring scale was designed to evaluate graft integration and maturation.

Results

Regarding the presence of synovial fluid at the bone-graft interface, the test was negative in 86.84% of patients in group A and 94.74% in group B. A disorganized autograft signal pattern was found in 2.63% in group A and 5.26% in group B. Signal intensity was considered hypointense in 63.16% in group A and 42.11% in group B, isointense in 34.21% in group A and 52.63% in group B, and hyperintense in 0% in both groups. The final mean score was 4.45 points in group A and 4.2 points in group B (P ≥ .05). Poor integration was found in 2.63% in group A and 5.26% in group B (P = .214). Good integration was found in 97.37% in group A and 94.74% in group B (P = .784).

Conclusions

In our consecutive series of patients who underwent ACL reconstruction with STG grafts, 1 group with intraoperative APC use versus a control group, followed up by MRI at 6 months after reconstruction, we did not find any statistically significant benefit in the APC group in terms of integration assessment and graft maturation (ligamentization).