QUADRICEPS TENDON AND PATELLAR LIGAMENT; A MORPHOMETRIC STUDY

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is commonly injured especiallyin sportsmen. Autografts using tissue from various sources including the quadriceps tendonand patellar ligament are popular but still controversial due to varying degree of success. Themorphological characteristics of the quadriceps tendon and the patellar ligament are of primeimportance for this purpose. Objectives: This cadaveric study was undertaken to evaluate themorphometric characteristics of the quadriceps tendon and patellar ligament as an autograft forACL reconstructive surgery. Study design: Qualitative cadaveric study. Material and methods:The morphometric observations of the quadriceps tendon and patellar ligament on 36 (18 maleand 18 female) adult formalin fixed cadavers were recorded by dissection. The observationsincluded the length, breadth and thickness of the quadriceps tendon and the patellar ligamentand were recorded on both sides separately in the male and female subjects. The data weretabulated, compared and statistically analyzed. Results: There was no significant differencein measurements on the right and left sides both in the male and in the female specimens.However the length and width of the quadriceps tendon was more in the males as comparedto the females. The patellar ligament was significantly longer in the male specimens as wasits width. Thickness of the patellar ligament, however, was not significantly different in the twogenders. Conclusion: Both the quadriceps tendon and the patellar ligament are safe andconvenient sources of autograft tissue for reconstruction of the ACL.