Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using hamstring tendon grafts

The annual incidence of more than 100,000 anterior cruciate ligament tears has increased with the rise of participation in sports in the general population, especially in females and older participants. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is the standard of care in the young and/or athletically active individuals, based on prospective randomized studies. Replacement tissues to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament can be categorized as autograft, allograft, xenograft, and artificial replacements. Historically, xenograft and artificial replacements for the anterior cruciate ligament have failed dismally. As a result, autograft and allograft tissues commonly are used to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament. Autograft tissue currently is the most common source for grafts used worldwide. The two most common autograft tissues are the bone-patellar tendon-bone and hamstrings tendons. Controversy exists regarding the advantages and disadvantages of using each of these two tissues. The purpose of the current study was to review the basic science and clinical data regarding the use of the hamstring tendons in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.