Takashi Kanamoto1, Yoshinari Tanaka2, Yasukazu Yonetani3, Keisuke Kita4, Hiroshi Amano2, Kensuke Okamoto5, Konsei Shino3, Shuji Horibe6. 1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hannan Chuo Hospital, Matsubara, Japan. 2. Departments of Orthopedic Surgery. 3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hoshigaoka Medical Center, Hirakata, Japan. 4. Sports Orthopedic Center, Yukioka Hospital, Osaka, Japan. 5. Rehabilitation, Osaka Rosai Hospital, Sakai, Japan. 6. Faculty of Comprehensive Rehabilitation, Osaka Prefecture University, Habikino, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Some studies have found that sex can affect the clinical results after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. We hypothesized that sex would significantly affect the healing of the postoperative patellar tendon. This study evaluated the patellar tendon after bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft harvest, specifically with regard to sex-dependent differences. METHODS: At 6 months postoperatively, an ultrasonographic evaluation was performed. We measured the residual donor site gap width between tendon tissues and the thickness of newly formed nontendinous tissue in the gap. In addition, the cross-sectional area of tendon tissue was measured. The ratios between the operated and contralateral sides were calculated, and the sexes were compared. A paired Student t test was performed, with P < .05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The population of 52 patients (32 male and 20 female) had a mean age ± SD of 23 ± 8 years. We observed no significant sex-dependent differences in the residual donor site gap and the thickness of newly formed nontendinous tissue when calculating ratios to the contralateral tendon. The mean cross-sectional area of tendon tissue was 101 ± 26 mm2 (male, 114 ± 26 mm2 ; female, 80 ± 16 mm2 ). When the ratios to the contralateral tendon were calculated, male patients had significantly higher cross-sectional area ratios than female patients (male, 124% ± 20%; female, 100% ± 19%, P = .024). CONCLUSIONS: We have reported a dramatic increase in the cross-sectional area of patellar tendon tissue during the first 6 months after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with a bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft, which was more prominent in male patients than in female patients. This difference might have contributed to the sex-dependent variation in clinical outcomes.
OBJECTIVES: Some studies have found that sex can affect the clinical results after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. We hypothesized that sex would significantly affect the healing of the postoperative patellar tendon. This study evaluated the patellar tendon after bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft harvest, specifically with regard to sex-dependent differences. METHODS: At 6 months postoperatively, an ultrasonographic evaluation was performed. We measured the residual donor site gap width between tendon tissues and the thickness of newly formed nontendinous tissue in the gap. In addition, the cross-sectional area of tendon tissue was measured. The ratios between the operated and contralateral sides were calculated, and the sexes were compared. A paired Student t test was performed, with P < .05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The population of 52 patients (32 male and 20 female) had a mean age ± SD of 23 ± 8 years. We observed no significant sex-dependent differences in the residual donor site gap and the thickness of newly formed nontendinous tissue when calculating ratios to the contralateral tendon. The mean cross-sectional area of tendon tissue was 101 ± 26 mm2 (male, 114 ± 26 mm2 ; female, 80 ± 16 mm2 ). When the ratios to the contralateral tendon were calculated, male patients had significantly higher cross-sectional area ratios than female patients (male, 124% ± 20%; female, 100% ± 19%, P = .024). CONCLUSIONS: We have reported a dramatic increase in the cross-sectional area of patellar tendon tissue during the first 6 months after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with a bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft, which was more prominent in male patients than in female patients. This difference might have contributed to the sex-dependent variation in clinical outcomes.