Ultrasonographic and Power Doppler Evaluation of the Patellar Tendon Ten Years after Harvesting Its Central Third for Reconstruction of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Abstract

Background: The long-term morphologic changes in the patellar tendon after harvesting its central third for the reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament have not been reported.

Hypothesis: Sonographic morphologic changes in the harvested patellar tendon are common 10 years after the harvesting procedure.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: Thirty-one patients who had undergone an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using central-third bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft with a closure of the patellar tendon defect were included in this study. An ultrasonographic and Power Doppler examination was performed at a mean follow-up of 10 years.

Results: Ultrasonography of the harvested patellar tendon showed intratendinous calcification in 9 patients, hypoechoic lesion in 20 patients, hyperechoic lesion in 1 patient, and peritendinous changes in 1 patient. Only 3 (9.7%) of the 31 patients had no changes in the harvested patellar tendon. No abnormality was visible in the contralateral (normal) patellar tendons of the 31 patients. The harvested patellar tendon was significantly thicker than the contralateral patellar tendon (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Sonographic morphologic changes of the patellar tendon were common 10 years after the harvesting procedure, although no evidence of inflammatory process, as could be seen in Power Doppler flow, was found inside of any patellar tendon.