Extract
Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament is one of the most
frequently performed orthopaedic procedures, with more than 100,000
reconstructions performed annually in the United States
alone1. Autogenous
bone-patellar tendon-bone graft is the graft option that is most frequently
utilized by orthopaedic surgeons in the United States, Canada, and
Europe2.
Complications have been reported to occur in association with 1.8% to 24% of
anterior cruciate ligament
reconstructions3-5.
Serious complications have included arthrofibrosis, patellar fracture,
patellar tendon rupture, tibial tubercle fracture, tibial plateau fracture,
and osteonecrosis of the femoral
condyles3-6.
Femoral fracture following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a
devastating complication that has been reported only in isolated cases and has
been attributed to technical errors or the creation of additional bone holes
for supplemental fixation devices used with earlier reconstructive
techniques7-12.
We present a rare case of a supracondylar femoral fracture that occurred after
an arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction that had been
performed without supplemental fixation and had not been associated with
intraoperative complications. The fracture occurred through an enlarged
femoral tunnel following an injury of the involved extremity. Our patient was
informed that data concerning this case would be submitted for
publication.