Functional result relating to the positioning of the graft in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction☆

OBJECTIVE To ascertain the coronal angles for the femoral and tibial tunnels that provide the best postoperative result from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery, through assessing the variables of the IKDC and Lysholm-Tegner questionnaires and the hop test. METHODS Sixteen patients with a single unilateral ACL injury who underwent this surgery between 24 and 36 months earlier were evaluated. They were divided into four groups in which the tibial and femoral tunnel angles were greater than or less than 65° in the coronal plane. RESULTS The results demonstrated that a more vertical angle for the tibial tunnel (72°) and a more horizontal angle for the femoral tunnel (60°), with valgus alignment of 12° correlated with the best values for the variables studied. This may indicate that the long-term results from this surgery are excellent. CONCLUSION A more horizontal femoral angle and a more vertical tibial angle produced better assessments in the tests that were applied and in the functional results evaluated.