Sciatic nerve injury following hamstring harvest

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Neuroscience
• Anatomy

Background:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction frequently utilizes hamstring tendons as autografts.
• Harvesting these tendons involves meticulous surgical technique to minimize complications.
• Potential complications typically relate to the harvested tendons or surgical site, not direct neural injury.

Observation:

• A unique case of sciatic nerve injury is presented following hamstring graft harvest.
• The injury occurred proximal to the sciatic nerve's bifurcation into tibial and common peroneal nerves.
• This complication was not previously documented in medical literature.

Findings:

• The presented case highlights an uncharacterized risk associated with hamstring tendon harvesting.
• Surgical technique and anatomical variations may predispose patients to this type of neural injury.
• Detailed anatomical understanding is crucial during hamstring graft procurement.

Implications:

• This finding necessitates a re-evaluation of surgical protocols for hamstring tendon harvesting.
• Surgeons should exercise heightened awareness of sciatic nerve proximity during graft retrieval.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the incidence and mechanisms of this rare complication.