CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF ACL RECONSTRUCTION WITH THREE DIFFERENT AUTOGRAFTS

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries are common, necessitating surgical reconstruction.
• Graft selection is crucial for successful ACL reconstruction outcomes.
• The rectus femoris autograft is a less-established option compared to hamstring or patellar tendon grafts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the short-term clinical and functional outcomes of ACL reconstruction using the rectus femoris autograft against traditional graft choices.
• To evaluate pain, Lysholm scores, and range of motion (ROM) at various postoperative intervals.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study involving 35 patients undergoing ACL reconstruction.
• Graft types included hamstring, rectus femoris, and patellar tendon.
• Outcomes (pain, Lysholm score, ROM) were assessed preoperatively, and at postoperative days 1 and 15, and six months.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in Lysholm scores or knee flexion ROM over time based on graft type.
• Postoperative pain scores were comparable across all graft groups at both postoperative day 1 and day 15.
• The rectus femoris autograft demonstrated similar pain and functional recovery trajectories.

Conclusions:

• The rectus femoris autograft is a viable option for ACL reconstruction, yielding outcomes comparable to hamstring and patellar tendon grafts within the first six months.
• Clinical and functional results support the use of rectus femoris autografts for ACL reconstruction.