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Arthroscopic primary repair of the anterior cruciate ligament: what the radiologist needs to know

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Abstract

Recently, there has been a renewed interest in primary repair of proximal anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays an important role in preoperative patient selection and in postoperative ligament assessment. Knowledge of the imaging factors that make patients candidates for primary ACL repair, namely proximal tear location and good tissue quality, can help radiologists provide information that is meaningful for surgical decision making. Furthermore, an understanding of the surgical techniques can prevent misinterpretation of the postoperative MRI. This article reviews preoperative MRI characterization of ACL injuries, techniques of arthroscopic primary ACL repair surgery and examples of postoperative MRI findings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center, 525 East 68th Street, Box 141, New York, NY, 10065, USA

    Steven P. Daniels & J. Jacob Kazam

  2. Orthopedic Trauma and Sports Medicine Services, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 E. 70th St, New York, NY, 10021, USA

    Jelle P. van der List & Gregory S. DiFelice

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  1. Steven P. Daniels
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  2. Jelle P. van der List
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Correspondence to Steven P. Daniels.

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The senior author is a paid consultant for Arthrex and receives research support from Arthrex.

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Dr. DiFelice is a paid consultant for Arthrex and receives research support from Arthrex.

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Daniels, S.P., van der List, J.P., Kazam, J.J. et al. Arthroscopic primary repair of the anterior cruciate ligament: what the radiologist needs to know. Skeletal Radiol 47, 619–629 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-017-2857-5

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