Nonanatomic femoral tunnel placement increases the risk of subsequent meniscal surgery after ACLR: Part II—Patients without recurrent ACL injury

• Published in: Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2024-11, Vol.32 (11), p.2780-2789
• Main Authors: Inoue, Jumpei, Giusto, Joseph D., Dadoo, Sahil, Nukuto, Koji, Lesniak, Bryson P., Musahl, Volker, Hughes, Jonathan D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACL; anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; medial meniscal repair; subsequent meniscal surgery; tunnel position
• ISSN: 0942-2056; 1433-7347; 1433-7347
• DOI: 10.1002/ksa.12300

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for subsequent meniscal surgery following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) in patients without recurrent ACL injury. Methods Patients aged ≥14 years who underwent primary ACLR with minimum 1‐year follow‐up and without recurrent ACL injury were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics and surgical data at the time of ACLR were collected. Postoperative radiographs were used to measure femoral and tibial tunnel position, and posterior tibial slope. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors for subsequent meniscal surgery. Results Of 629 ACLRs that fulfilled the inclusion criteria, subsequent meniscal surgery was performed in 65 [10.3%] patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that medial meniscal repair at the time of ACLR, younger age, anterior femoral tunnel position and distal femoral tunnel position were significantly associated with subsequent meniscal surgery (p 10% outside of the literature‐established anatomic position was significantly higher in those who underwent subsequent meniscal surgery compared to those who did not (38.3% vs. 20.3%, p = 0.006). Posterior tibial slope and ACL graft type were not significantly associated with subsequent meniscal surgery. Conclusion Medial meniscal repair at the time of ACLR, younger age and nonanatomic femoral tunnel placement were risk factors for subsequent meniscal surgery in patients without recurrent ACL injury. Femoral tunnel placement