Anatomy of the anterior cruciate ligament: a blueprint for repair and reconstruction.

The anterior cruciate ligament of the knee joint is a complex structure whose orientation, construct, and biology are directly related to its function as a constraint of knee joint motion. While the complexity of its design allows the ligament to function through the normal range of motion as a static stabilizer of the knee, it also makes the exact duplication of this structure very difficult. A fundamental knowledge of the functional anatomy of the anterior cruciate ligament provides the orthopaedic surgeon with an essential blueprint on which to base techniques of repair and reconstruction.