Ultrastructural study of the extra-articular Leeds-Keio ligament prosthesis
- 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kawasaki Municipal Hospital, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-0013, Japan
- 2Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Isehara-kyodo Hospital, Isehara, 259-1132, Japan
- 3Department of Pathology, Kawasaki Municipal Hospital
- Correspondence to: Dr E Nomura Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kawasaki Municipal Hospital, 12-1, Shinkawa-dori, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-0013, Japan; edk-nomuraspn1.speednet.ne.jp
- Accepted 3 January 2005
Abstract
Background: There have been several histological studies of the Leeds-Keio ligament in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, but there have been few of the Leeds-Keio ligament in the extra-articular portion.
Aims/Methods: To report the histological and ultrastructural findings of two cases of medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction using the Leeds-Keio ligament, removed 6.1 years and 8.7 years after implantation.
Results: In both cases, the tissue over the Leeds-Keio ligament was a ligament-like tissue. Electron microscopy showed that the diameter of the collagen fibrils in the tissue over the Leeds-Keio ligament was unimodal in the case investigated 6.1 years after implantation but bimodal in the case investigated after 8.7 years.
Conclusions: The tissue over the Leeds-Keio ligament may continue to grow with prolonged periods of mechanical stress.
