Long-term Outcomes of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Quadriceps Tendon-Patellar Bone Autograft

To date, there have been few studies on the outcomes of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) using quadriceps tendon-patellar bone (QTPB) autograft.

To evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes of ACLR using QTPB autograft.

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

We retrospectively reviewed 139 patients who underwent primary ACLR with QTPB autografts and had at least 7 years of postoperative follow-up data. Instability, clinical scores, donor-site morbidity, radiographic progression of osteoarthritis, and any associated complications were assessed.

The proportion of knees classified as grade >1 on the anterior drawer, Lachman, and pivot-shift tests decreased significantly postsurgically (from 47.4% to 5.0%, 48.9% to 4.3%, and 53.3% to 5.0%, respectively; P < .001 for all). The mean clinical scores at the final follow-up were 89.8, 81.0, and 4.4 for the Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee, and Tegner Activity Scale, respectively. The results of the Cybex II dynamometer isokinetic test showed decreases in flexion and extension strength at both 60° and 180° per second, which persisted until the final follow-up visit. About one-fifth (19.4%) of the patients had osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥1) before surgery, which increased to 33.8% at the final follow-up. The overall complication rate was 23.2%, and about one-third of the patients who experienced complications underwent revision surgery as a result of graft rupture and residual instability.

In the current study, ACLR using QTPB autograft provided satisfactory long-term clinical results, with acceptable rates of complication and donor-site morbidity.