Comparative study of the modified transtibial technique and the transportal technique in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

BACKGROUND:This study sought to compare the efficacy of the modified transtibial (TT) technique and the transportal (TP) technique in arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. METHODS:This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 74 patients (74 knees) who underwent ACL reconstruction using a single bundle of autologous hamstring tendon graft from October 2013 to September 2017. Forty-one knees were reconstructed using the TT technique (the TT group), and 33 were reconstructed using the TP technique (the TP group). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05) in terms of age, sex, follow-up time, time from injury to operation, left and right knees, body mass index, and preoperative International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Tegner Activity score (Tegner score), Lysholm score, Lachman test results, and Pivot-Shift test results. RESULTS:The incisions in both groups were healed by first intention, and no early postoperative complications occurred. All patients attended follow-up appointments. The TT group had a follow-up period of 24-46 months (average follow-up time: 27.3 months). The TT group had a follow-up period of 24-38 months (average follow-up time: 26.3 months). Two years after surgery, the IKDC, Lysholm, and Tegner scores of the two groups were significantly improved compared to those before surgery (P<0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in relation to these scores (P>0.05). There was also no statistically significant difference in the Lachman and Pivot-Shift test results between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Both the TT and TP techniques provide satisfactory efficacy in ACL reconstruction.