BACKGROUND: To establish the occurrence of regeneration of the semitendinosus and gracilis tendons following their harvesting for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, we performed a simulation procedure using 12 lower extremities from six cadavers and studied the length of the muscle stumps that remained distally beyond the knee joint line and recorded their proximity to the popliteal fascia. RESULTS: Six of 12 semitendinosus and gracilis muscles remained beyond the joint line. Nine semitendinosus and eight gracilis muscle stumps were close to the popliteal fascia, while the other stumps were not. The semitendinosus and gracilis muscles that remained beyond the knee joint line and close to the popliteal fascia, even after tendon harvesting, are supposed to increase the likelihood of regeneration of the functional myotendinous junction, compared with muscles not extending to the joint line. CONCLUSIONS: We were convinced by these results of regeneration of the semitendinosus and gracilis tendons following tendon harvesting, which had been reported clinically.
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