[New Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstrucion Using Harmstring Tendon Grafts - Clinical Part]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is crucial for knee stability.
• Graft fixation and femoral tunnel positioning significantly impact surgical outcomes.
• Hamstring tendons (HS) are a common autograft choice for ACL reconstruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical midterm results of a new instrumentation set for ACL reconstruction using HS.
• To confirm the efficacy of the proposed surgical technique and graft fixation methods.
• To assess graft integration, knee stability, range of motion, and patient-reported outcomes up to eight years post-surgery.

Main Methods:

• A clinical evaluation of 58 patients (9 men, 49 women) aged 18-58 years, operated between 2007-2014.
• Utilized a new instrumentation set for ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendon grafts.
• Follow-up included pre-operative and post-operative assessments at 3, 6 months, 1, 3, 5, and 8 years, measuring range of motion, Lachman test, IKDC score, and VAS pain scale.

Main Results:

• All patients achieved successful graft integration and ingrowth with full range of motion.
• No pathological instability was observed, with Lachman test laxity remaining minimal post-operatively.
• Subjective IKDC scores improved significantly, and pain at the harvesting site was low, with no severe complications reported.

Conclusions:

• The new instrumentation set facilitates a reliable ACL reconstruction technique using hamstring tendons.
• The method ensures sufficient post-operative knee joint stability and effective femoral screw fixation.
• The procedure is associated with low pain levels, ease of use, and a favorable safety profile.