Allograft versus autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: 3- to 5-year outcome

Sixty-four patients whose knees underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with nonirradiated allograft tissue were compared with 26 patients whose anterior cruciate ligaments were reconstructed using autograft tissue 3 to 5 years after their operation. Detailed symptoms, activity-level, and functional outcomes, physical examination, and instrumented knee testing were recorded. No statistically significant differences were found except a higher incidence of loss of terminal extension in the autograft group. These differences were small and not considered clinically significant. Laxity and knee scores were similar in both groups. According to International Knee Documentation Committee ratings, overall outcome was normal or nearly normal in 48% of the allograft patients and in 38% of the autograft patients. Overall subjective rating with the Cincinnati Knee Score was 85.8 for the allograft patients and 84.5 for the autograft patients. Allograft tissue provides an acceptable alternative to autograft tissue for reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.