THE FEMORAL HOOK

HAMSTRING TENDON GRAFT IS USED FOR RECONSTRUCTING THE ANTERIOR CIRCULATE LIGAMENT IN THE KNEE. THERE ARE SOME DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH FIXATION OF THIS GRAFT TO THE FEMUR, LIKE AN OTHER SECOND INCISION OVER THE FEMUR OR ELONGATION CONNECTION BETWEEN THE FIXATION DEVICE AND THE GRAFT USING NON ABSORBABLE SUTURE . THE FEMORAL HOOK IS A FIXATION DEVICE FOR THIS TYPE OF GRAFT CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE TENDON AND DOES NOT NEED AN OTHER INCISION. ITS USE DEPENDS ON THE RECOILING AND ELASTICITY PROPERTY OF THE USED WIRE, AS IT COLLAPSES ON APPLYING TENSION TO BOTH ENDS TO FACILITATE ITS PASSAGE THROUGH THE NARROW TIBIAL AND FEMORAL BONY TUNNELS. ON EMERGING FROM THE UPPER END OF THE FEMORAL TUNNEL THE FEMORAL HOOK RE-EXPANDS TO ITS ORIGINAL SIZE TO HANG OVER THE ANTERIOR EDGE OF THIS OPENING. THE FEMORAL HOOK ALSO OCCUPIES THE FEMORAL TUNNEL PARTIALLY THUS MINIMIZING TUNNEL WIDENING SECONDARY TO GRAFT MOTION WHICH IS COMMON WITH OTHER EXPENSIVE IMPORTED DEVICES