Patient Information Resources


Orthogate
1089 Spadina Road
Toronto, AL M5N 2M7
Ph: 416-483-2654
Fax: 416-483-2654
christian@orthogate.com






Ankle
Child Orthopedics
Elbow
Foot
General
Hand
Hip
Knee
Shoulder
Spine - Cervical
Spine - Lumbar
Spine - Thoracic
Wrist

View Web RX

« Back

The Great Graft Debate

Posted on: 08/20/2002
In the normal knee, a tear or rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) doesn't happen without a reason. Usually, the ligament is under a twisting (torsional) force. This happens most often during high-demand activities such as sports. The ACL is an important part of the knee. It should be repaired for any athlete who wants to return to competitive sports.

There are two ways to repair this ligament. Both involve taking a piece of tissue from some other part of the leg and using it to replace the torn ACL. The hamstring tendon is one possible donor graft. The patellar tendon is the other. Knowing if one is better than the other would be helpful for doctors.

A group of researchers in Australia divided patients with ACL tears into two groups. One group received the patellar tendon graft, while the other group got the hamstring tendon graft. Each patient was followed for five years. Many outcome measures were compared.

In the early rehabilitation after surgery, the hamstring group made the fastest progress. They left the hospital sooner, stopped using crutches sooner, and returned to work faster than the group with the patellar tendon graft. At two and five years, with one exception, there were no differences between these two groups.

Level of activity, range of motion, and number of graft failures or complications were the same for both donor sites. The one area of difference was the joint space. In the patients who received a patellar tendon graft, the joint space was narrower after five years. This is an early sign of arthritis. Researchers agree this finding must be studied longer before choosing the hamstring donor site over the patellar tendon for all cases.

References:
Leo A. Pinczewski, FRACS, et al. A Five-Year Comparison of Patellar Tendon Versus Four-Strand Hamstring Tendon Autograft for Arthroscopic Reconstruction of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament. In The American Journal of Sports Medicine. July/August 2002. Vol. 30. No. 4. Pp. 523-536.

« Back





*Disclaimer:*The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.


All content provided by eORTHOPOD® is a registered trademark of Mosaic Medical Group, L.L.C.. Content is the sole property of Mosaic Medical Group, LLC and used herein by permission.