Hamstring graft preparation using a needleless suture loop

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional hamstring tendon graft preparation for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction involves time-consuming placement of running, locking stitches.
• This conventional method requires precise suture placement in the distal and proximal tendon ends, increasing operative time and complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a needleless suture loop technique for harvesting and preparing gracilis and semitendinosis tendons.
• To assess the utility of this technique for tensioning quadrupled hamstring tendon grafts during ACL reconstruction.

Main Methods:

• The authors employed a needleless suture loop technique for graft harvesting and preparation.
• This technique was utilized for both gracilis and semitendinosis tendons.
• The method was also applied to tension quadrupled hamstring tendon grafts.

Main Results:

• The needleless suture loop technique proved effective in harvesting and preparing hamstring tendons.
• It facilitated adequate graft fixation for tensioning during ACL reconstruction.
• The technique reduced operative time and minimized needle exposure for surgeons.

Conclusions:

• The needleless suture loop technique is a cost-effective and efficient alternative for hamstring tendon graft preparation in ACL reconstruction.
• This method simplifies the surgical workflow, reduces needle-related risks, and optimizes graft handling.
• It provides reliable fixation for achieving necessary graft tension.