A Modified "One-Stitch" Hamstring Tendon Suture Fixation Technique for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft Preparation

Hamstring tendon autografts are very often used for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. After harvesting of the tendons, each end is most commonly fixed with a running whipstitch suture technique, which permits adequate handling and tensioning of the graft. This conventional technique, which uses multiple locking stitches running up and down the ends of both tendons, is time consuming and carries a risk for tendon damage and needle stick injuries. As a result of the conventional whipstitch technique, suture material is left behind within the tendon inside the tibial canal, which may lead to a local inflammatory response during resorption of the sutures. This article introduces a new technique involving a modified "one-stitch" hamstring tendon suture fixation technique. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 28(1):74-76, 2019).