Computer assisted arthroscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament reconstruction

Rupture of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is a common problem, mainly in young and active adults. It may lead to premature degenerative arthritis of the knee joint. The current standard surgical procedure is the endoscopic reconstruction of the ACL using a central-third bone - patellar tendon - bone graft. Correct placement, especially the isometry, of the femoral and tibial insertion of the graft, is of primary importance for the stability of the reconstructed ligament. However, planning the correct insertion points and accurately executing the planned procedure is often difficult. In this paper we report oil a fluoroscopic navigation system using intra-operative x-ray images to identify the correct position orthe insertion points, and to guide the drilling of the tibial and femoral tunnel.