Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tunnel placement: a radiographic comparison between navigated versus manual ACL reconstruction

Abstract

As participation in sports has increased, so have anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions. The procedure is commonly associated with inaccurate tunnel placements, even when performed by experienced surgeons. Computer-assisted surgery may assist in eliminating inconsistent graft tunnels by increasing precision and providing navigation feedback of the surgical field. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of tunnel placements between computer-navigated and manual ACL reconstructions using radiography. Results suggest that the two methods have comparable accuracy but that the use of additional imaging techniques is recommended during tunnel placement evaluation.