Randomized Controlled Study Comparing Hamstring Graft and Peroneus Longus Tendon Graft in Arthroscopic ACL...

Graft choice for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) has been evolving. The peroneus longus tendon (PLT) has been seen as a suitable choice for ACLR, providing comparable results to those of hamstring tendon (HT) autograft, but its clinical relevance in terms of return to sports, to our knowledge, has not been studied.

One hundred and twenty patients who sustained an isolated ACL injury were enrolled and underwent ACLR using tripled or quadrupled PLT autograft (if graft thickness exceeded 10 mm then tripled) or quadrupled HT autograft. Patients were followed for 24 months. Functional scores (International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC] and Tegner-Lysholm scores) were assessed preoperatively and at 3, 6, 12, and 24-month post-operatively. Graft diameter and graft harvesting time were measured intraoperatively. Donor-site morbidity was evaluated using subjective evaluation. Time to return to sports in both groups was compared.

The mean diameter of the PLT autograft was significantly larger than that of the HT autograft, and the mean graft harvesting time was less (P < 0.001). Patients in the PLT group returned to sports a mean of 36 days earlier than those in the HT group (P < 0.001) and had a lower rate of donor-site morbidity, and better patient-reported outcomes at the knee (P < 0.001). There was a significant difference between the groups in IKDC and Tegner-Lysholm scores at the 24-month follow-up.

Despite some donor site complications, such as numbness and infection, both PLT and HT grafts offer acceptable knee stability. However, PLT grafts seem to provide superior subjective functional outcomes based on patient-reported scores. More research is needed to further establish these findings and optimize graft choices for individual patients.