The attachments of the anteromedial and posterolateral fibre bundles of the anterior cruciate ligament

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe the anatomical locations of the femoral attachments of the anteromedial (AM) and posterolateral (PL) bundles of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Twenty-two human cadaver knees with intact ACLs were used. The femoral attachments of the two bundles were identified, marked and photographed. They were measured and described in terms of the o'clock positions parallel to the femoral long axis and parallel to the roof of the intercondylar notch. The centres of the bundles were also measured in a high-low and a superficial-deep manner referencing from the centre of the posterior femoral condyle, and with respect to their positions within a measurement grid defined in this study. The bulk of the AM bundle was attached between the 9.30 and 11.30 o'clock positions and the PL bundle between the 8.30 and 10 o'clock positions. The AM and PL bundles were consistently found in specific zones of the measurement grid. Using the posterior condyle reference method, the centre of the AM bundle was at 68 +/- 7% (range 57-78) in a shallow-deep direction and 55 +/- 5% (44-62) in a high-low direction. The PL bundle was found at 56 +/- 8% (40-73) in a shallow-deep direction, and 62 +/- 7.0% (40-70) in a high-low direction. The attachment was oriented at 37 degrees to the femoral long axis. The results from this study could be used to guide ACL reconstruction techniques.