Assessing arthroscopic notchplasty

To evaluate the ability to perform a widening arthroscopic intercondylar notchplasty as part of an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, 20 patients had notch-width index measurements compared with either preoperative or normal-side values. The notch-width index increased an average of 0.062, correlating with absolute notch widening of 4-6 mm. This study provides in vivo evidence that notchplasty widening can be reproducibly performed arthroscopically. The optimal notch width for reconstructive anterior cruciate ligament surgery has yet to be determined.