THE N+7 RULE FOR TIBIAL TUNNEL PLACEMENT IN ENDOSCOPIC ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION

Tibial tunnel placement during endoscopic anterior cruciate ligament ( ACL) reconstruction has received increased emphasis in the recent lite rature, Appropriate tunnel length is a critical technical consideratio n. A tunnel that is too short results in graft extrusion, necessitatin g supplemental fixation techniques, A tunnel that is too long may make distal fixation and femoral tunnel placement difficult. A simple rule is proposed that allows for correct tunnel length and allows placemen t of the bone plug consistently within the tibial tunnel, allowing int erference screw fixation.