Hamstring tendon graft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

In an age of increasing emphasis on sports, the most common contact injury of the lower extremity is anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. The classic history of an ACL injury is a sudden twisting of the knee accompanied by a popping or snapping sound. The patient usually complains of a feeling of hesitation, instability, or giving way of the knee. By the end of the day, the patient's knee will be swollen and unstable. There are many ways that the ACL can rupture, but a common method is a contact injury in which a valgus force is applied to the flexed, rotated externally knee. This can produce tears to the ACL, medial collateral ligament, and menisci. Noncontact injuries, such as those incurred while skiing or jumping, occur when the knee is extended and the tibia is internally rotated on the femur. There are several methods of repairing a ruptured ACL, such as using an allograft or autograft of the patella tendon or a hamstring tendon graft for the repair. This article focuses on the use of a hamstring tendon graft for ACL reconstruction and how to care for patients undergoing this procedure.