Effect of Joint Infection After Arthroscopic Single-Bundle ACL Reconstruction With Autologous Hamstring Tendon: A Retrospective Matched MRI Study

Nayun Chen; Cheng Wang; Dai Li; Yanfang Jiang; Yingfang Ao

doi:10.1177/23259671221125493

Effect of Joint Infection After Arthroscopic Single-Bundle ACL Reconstruction With Autologous Hamstring Tendon: A Retrospective Matched MRI Study

Orthop J Sports Med. 2022 Oct 14;10(10):23259671221125493. doi: 10.1177/23259671221125493. eCollection 2022 Oct.

Authors

Nayun Chen^{1

2}, Cheng Wang^{1

2}, Dai Li^{1

2}, Yanfang Jiang^{1

2}, Yingfang Ao^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
² Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University, Beijing, China.

Abstract

Background: Joint infection after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a rare but serious complication.

Purpose: To assess the effect of joint infection on the graft, cartilage, and bone tunnel using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after arthroscopic single-bundle ACL reconstruction with autologous hamstring tendons.

Study design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: This retrospective matched cohort study included 26 patients who underwent arthroscopic single-bundle ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendon graft at the authors' institute between January 2002 and December 2017 and developed postoperative joint infection. These patients were matched 1:3 to patients who did not sustain joint infection after ACL reconstruction (control group). MRI scans were collected at the time of follow-up. The following parameters were evaluated: graft signal-to-noise quotient (SNQ); graft signal intensity at the bone-graft interface and within the knee joint; bone tunnel enlargement at the tunnel aperture, midsection, and exit of the tibial and femoral tunnels; and cartilage integrity.

Results: The average follow-up time was 47.8 months in the infection group and 48.5 months in the control group. Compared with the control group, the infection group had a significantly higher SNQ (20.01 ± 12.08 vs 7.61 ± 6.70; P = .014) as well as a higher signal intensity at the bone-graft interface (P = .037) and higher Howell grade (P = .031). The mean enlargement at the femoral tunnel aperture was 31.20% ± 26.76% in the infection group and 19.22% ± 20.10% in the control group (P = .037). The articular cartilage of the patellofemoral and lateral femorotibial joints showed more degenerative change in the infection group.

Conclusion: Study findings indicated that graft ligamentization and incorporation graft maturity were inferior in patients who experienced a joint infection after ACL reconstruction compared with patients who did not.

Keywords: ACL reconstruction; articular cartilage; bone tunnel; graft; joint infection.