No Difference in Complication Rates or Patient-Reported Outcomes Between Bone–Patella Tendon–Bone and Quadriceps Tendon Autograft for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Incidence of Osteoarthritis Between ACL Reconstruction With Different Graft Types and Between ACL Reconstruction and Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background

Variation in stiffness, fixation methods, and donor-site morbidity after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with different graft types and with anterior cruciate ligament suture repair (ACLSR) can lead to differences in dynamic knee laxity and consequent differences in posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) development.

Purpose

To compare the incidence of PTOA between different graft types used for primary ACLR and between primary ACLR and ACLSR. It was hypothesized that the incidence of PTOA would vary between ACLR with different autografts and allografts and between ACLR and ACLSR.

Study Design

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods

A search of the literature was performed to identify all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing radiographic evidence of PTOA after ACLR between different graft types-hamstring tendon (HT) autograft, bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autograft, quadriceps tendon autograft, and allograft-and between ACLR and ACLSR. The minimum follow-up was 2 years. Study quality was assessed using the modified Coleman Methodology Score. A meta-analysis was performed to determine whether there was a difference in the incidence of PTOA between the different graft types and between ACLR and ACLSR.

Results

Eleven randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis-HT: 440 patients (mean follow-up, 9.7 years); BPTB: 307 patients (mean follow-up, 11.8 years); allograft: 246 patients (mean follow-up, 5 years); ACLSR, 22 patients (5 years). No study reporting the incidence after ACLR with quadriceps tendon was included. The study quality ranged from 70 to 88. The meta-analysis indicated no significant difference in the incidence of PTOA between graft types used for ACLR and between ACLR and ACLSR (risk ratios: HT vs BPTB, 1.05; HT vs allograft, 0.81; BPTB vs allograft, 0.82; HT vs ACLSR, not estimable [P > .05 for all]). The combined number of patients with PTOA in all studies per graft type showed that patients who underwent ACLR with a BPTB autograft had the highest percentage of PTOA (HT, 23.4%; BPTB, 29.6%; allograft, 8.1%; ACLSR, 0%). However, excluding studies with a follow-up <5 years resulted in similar outcomes for patients with an HT autograft and a BPTB autograft.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis reported no difference in the incidence of PTOA between graft types used for ACLR and between ACLR and ACLSR. More research is necessary to make a reliable conclusion about which technique is associated with the lowest incidence of PTOA after ACL surgery.

Both Quadriceps and Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Autografts Improve Postoperative Stability and Functional Outcomes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review

Purpose

To compare postoperative knee stability, functional outcomes, and complications after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) versus quadriceps tendon autograft.

Methods

In accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines, the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for studies published in 2002 or later. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: randomized controlled trials that included patients who underwent ACL reconstruction with BPTB or quadriceps tendon autograft including all soft tissue and bone-quadriceps tendon and in which measures of postoperative stability and functional outcomes were reported. Studies that were not written in English and those that analyzed animals or cadavers, were not randomized controlled trials, or used other grafts (e.g., hamstring) were excluded.

Results

The initial search identified 348 studies, 6 of which were included in this systematic review. Two of the six studies found no significant difference in performance outcomes or complications between quadriceps and BPTB autografts. One study found that patients receiving quadriceps autograft self-reported improved knee functional status compared with those receiving BPTB autograft. Another study found that quadriceps autograft resulted in a significantly reduced Quadriceps Index postoperatively compared with BPTB autograft (69.5 vs 82.8, P = .01) but found no difference in postoperative quadriceps strength. An additional study found that the outcomes of quadriceps tendon and BPTB autografts were equivalent per the International Knee Documentation Committee scale, but anterior knee pain was less severe in patients with quadriceps tendon autograft. Furthermore, one study revealed the overall International Knee Documentation Committee score was reported as normal significantly more often in patients who underwent ACL reconstruction with BPTB autograft (85% vs 50%, P < .001) and that donor-site morbidity was greater in patients with quadriceps autograft. No significant difference was found in complications requiring reoperation across studies.

Conclusions

Patients undergoing ACL reconstruction with either BPTB or quadriceps tendon autograft reported improved postoperative knee stability and functional outcomes. There is no significant difference in complications between quadriceps autograft use and BPTB autograft use.

Level of Evidence

Level III, systematic review of Level III retrospective studies.

One-stage anterior cruciate ligament revision surgery after primary failed double-bundle reconstruction: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) revision surgery after failed double-bundle (DB) reconstruction is a challenging procedure. This study aimed to systematically review the research on ACL revision surgery following failed DB reconstruction, providing an overview on indications, surgical techniques, clinical outcomes and potential pitfalls occurring while performing this therapeutic approach.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Literature published from exception to February 2023 was searched in the Pubmed/MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL databases. Studies in English reporting on patients who underwent ACL revision surgery after prior failed DB reconstruction were considered. Review articles and expert opinion or editorial pieces were excluded. Outcomes of interest included indications and pre-operative planning, surgical technique and associated procedures, type of revision surgery (either one- or two-stage), graft choice, clinical and functional outcomes, rate of complications, failure rate.

RESULTS

Overall, 4 studies met all the inclusion criteria for this review. All were published between 2007 and 2020. The search resulted in two retrospective comparative studies, one case series, and one case report. Average follow-up periods ranged from 24 to 45 months. From these studies, 66 patients (66 knees) were identified. One-stage revision surgery was performed in 64 on 66 patients (97%) with pathologic laxity following DB ACL reconstruction. Most frequently reported outcome was Lysholm score in five studies: average postoperative Lysholm score ranged from 90.5 to 91.0 while Tegner activity level ranged from 5.6 to 7.0. In 4 patients (6%) re-revision surgery was performed due to graft re-rupture.

CONCLUSIONS

One-stage ACL revision surgery following DB ACL reconstruction appears feasible providing satisfying outcomes and limited complications. The literature on this subject is limited and further comparative studies reporting long-term outcomes are needed, as high-level studies on this topic are still lacking.

Quadriceps tendon autograft has similar clinical outcomes when compared to hamstring tendon and bone-patellar tendon-bone autografts for revision ACL reconstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Research regarding revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (RACLR) with quadriceps tendon (QT) autografts is lacking. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of RACLR with QT and compare its patient outcomes to RACLR with hamstring tendon (HT) and bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) autografts.

METHODS

Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, a search for studies using QT in RACLR was performed within PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL from database date of inception through December 26, 2022. Primary outcomes sought included: failure rate, Lysholm scores, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores, IKDC grades, arthrometric knee side-to-side differences (STSD), pivot shift grade, donor site morbidity, return to sport, visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores.

RESULTS

Nine studies were included consisting of 606 RACLR: 349 QT, 169 HT, and 88 BTB. Overall failure rates were 7.6% QT, 13.3% HT, and 8.7% BTB. Mean weighted Lysholm scores were 85.8 ± 3.8 QT, 82.5 ± 3.8 HT and 86.6 ± 4.5 BTB. IKDC average scores were 82.3 ± 1.6 QT, 80.1 ± 1.7 HT, and 81.7 ± 5.5BTB. Combined rates of IKDC A/B grades were 88.4% and 80.0% for QT and HT, respectively. VAS average scores were 0.9 ± 1.1 QT, 1.4 ± 0.2 HT, and 0.7 ± 0.8 for BTB. Side-to-side difference was reported for QT and HT with average values of 1.7 ± 0.6 mm and 2.1 ± 0.5 mm, respectively. Grade 0 or 1 pivot shifts were reported in 96.2% of QT patients and 91.3% of HT. Donor site morbidity, only reported for QT and HT, was 14.6 ± 9.7% and 23.6 ± 14.1%, respectively. QT resulted in a mean Tegner score of 5.9 ± 1.5 versus HT 5.7 ± 1.5. Rate of return to pivoting sports was 38.0% QT, 48.6% HT, and 76.9% BTB. Across all outcomes, there was no significant difference when comparing QT to HT, QT to BTB, and QT compared to HT and BTB combined.

CONCLUSIONS

RACLR with QT yields satisfactory patient reported outcomes, satisfactory improvement in knee laxity, expected return to sport rates, and has an overall 7.6% failure rate. Outcomes are comparative to those of HT and BTB making it an acceptable graft choice for RACLR. Surgeons should consider using QT autograft for RACLR, especially when other autografts are unavailable.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Two-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Preparation for Autograft Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Demonstrates Quadriceps Tendon Is Thicker Than Patellar Tendon

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess patellar tendon (PT) and quadriceps tendon (QT) thickness on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in both the sagittal and axial planes, at multiple points along each tendon, and to correlate these findings to anthropometric patient data before anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery.

Methods

Patients who underwent PT or QT autograft ACL reconstruction between 2020 and 2022 and who had preoperative MRIs with adequate visualization of the proximal QT and distal PT were retrospectively identified. Patient demographics were recorded (age, height, weight, sex, injury side). Preoperative MRI measurements were performed by 3 independent examiners using standardized protocol. Preoperative MRI measurements were the QT anterior-posterior (AP) thickness at 1, 2, and 4 cm from the proximal patella on axial and sagittal MRI images at the central aspect of the tendon, as well as PT AP thickness at 1, 2, and 4 cm from the distal patella on axial and sagittal MRI images at the central aspect of the tendon.

Results

Forty-one patients (21 females, 20 males) were evaluated, with a mean age of 33.4 years. The quadriceps tendon was significantly thicker than the patellar tendon at all measured locations (P < .0001) with average QT versus PT thickness (in mm) at each level sagittal 1 cm (7.13 vs 4.35), sagittal 2 cm (7.41 vs 4.44), sagittal 4 cm (7.26 vs 4.81), axial 1 cm (7.35 vs 4.50), axial 2 cm (7.63 vs 4.47), axial 4 cm (7.46 vs 4.62), respectively. There were no significant correlations between tendon size and patient body mass index.

Conclusions

The quadriceps tendon is significantly thicker than the patellar tendon at 1, 2, and 4 cm from the patella in both males and females based on preoperative MRI before ACL surgery.

Clinical relevance

Investigating the thickness of the tendons available for autograft harvest before surgery will give us a better understanding of tendon anatomy in the setting of ACL reconstruction.

Current trends in graft choice for primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction - part II: In-vivo kinematics, patient reported outcomes, re-rupture rates, strength recovery, return to sports and complications

Postoperative patient satisfaction after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) is influenced mainly by the degree of pain, the need for reoperation, and functional performance in daily activities and sports. Graft choice has shown to have an influence on postoperative outcomes after ACL-R. While patient reported outcomes measurements do not differ between graft options, evidence shows that normal knee kinematics is not fully restored after ACL-R with an increase in postoperative anterior tibial translation (ATT). Postoperative graft rupture rates seem to favor bone-patella-tendon-bone (BPTB) and quadriceps tendon (QT) autografts over HT or allografts. While return to sports rates seem comparable between different graft types, postoperative extensor strength is reduced in patients with BPTB and QT whereas flexion strength is weakened in patients with HT. Postoperative donor site morbidity is highest in BPTB but comparable between HT and QT. With all graft options having advantages and drawbacks, graft choice must be individualized and chosen in accordance with the patient.

Less than 1% risk of donor-site quadriceps tendon rupture post-ACL reconstruction with quadriceps tendon autograft: a systematic review

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to develop a comprehensive complications profile for quadriceps tendon-autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (QT ACL-R).

METHODS

A traditional and grey literature search was conducted in accordance with PRISMA and R-AMSTAR guidelines. PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane, Web of Science, and many grey literature sources were searched from inception to May 29, 2022. All studies were searched and screened in duplicate with included studies being of all levels of evidence, reporting complications, and with patients of all ages undergoing primary ACL reconstruction with quadriceps tendon autograft in the last 15 years. Studies were excluded if they had cadaveric or animal subjects or were reviews. Risk of bias assessment was conducted using MINORS criteria for non-randomised studies and Cochrane's RoB 2.0 for randomised studies. Data were summarised with weighted event rates generated under a random-effects model.

RESULTS

A total of 55 studies (5315 reconstructions) were included: 32 used quadriceps tendon with bone block (B-QT), 19 used all-soft tissue quadriceps tendon (S-QT), and four did not report the QT graft subtype used. Included patients had an age range of 6.2-58 years and an average reported follow-up time of 28.1 months (range, 6-90 months) for non-randomised studies and 34.3 months (range, 0.233-120 months) for randomised studies. Pooled incidence rates for clinically relevant major complications included contralateral ACL injury at 6.0%, postoperative meniscal issues at 5.4%, cyclops lesions at 4.8%, graft failure at 4.1%, patellar fracture at 2.2%, hardware removal at 1.7%, infection at 1.5%, and donor-site quadriceps tendon rupture at 0.7%. Pooled incidence rates for clinically relevant minor complications included anterior knee pain at 9.7%, kneeling pain at 9.5%, sensation deficits at 4.4%, loss of extension at 4.2%, donor-site tendinopathy at 3.9%, cosmetic issues at 1.8%, and hematoma at 1.5%.

CONCLUSIONS

QT ACL-R resembles other graft types in its rates and types of postoperative complications. In this exploratory systematic review, no complications of QT ACL-R were found to be disproportionately represented in the literature. This graft type should remain an option with comparable complication rates to other graft choices.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

REGISTRATION

This study was preregistered under PROSPERO with preregistration code CRD42022302078.

Localized Anterior Arthrofibrosis After Soft-Tissue Quadriceps Tendon Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Is More Common in Patients Who Are Female, Undergo Meniscal Repair, and Have Grafts of Larger Diameter

PURPOSE

To determine factors associated with localized anterior arthrofibrosis (cyclops lesion), such as graft size, warranting early reoperation for lysis of adhesions after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with all-soft tissue quadriceps tendon (ASTQT) autograft.

METHODS

All primary ASTQT autograft ACLRs within a single surgeon's prospectively collected registry with minimum 6-month follow-up were included. Patients who underwent multiligament knee reconstruction or cartilage restoration procedures were excluded. Localized anterior arthrofibrosis was defined as the requirement for a second procedure to achieve debridement and lysis of adhesions owing to the inability to regain terminal extension within 6 months of ACLR. The sex-specific incidence of arthrofibrosis was evaluated relative to age, weight, femoral and tibial tunnel sizes, meniscal repair, and meniscectomy by a binary logistic regression.

RESULTS

This study included 721 patients (46% female patients). There were 52 cases of localized anterior arthrofibrosis (7.2%). Female patients had a greater incidence of arthrofibrosis than male patients. Male patients with a femoral tunnel diameter of 9.25 mm or greater had an increased incidence of arthrofibrosis compared with those with a diameter of less than 9.25 mm, whereas a similar cutoff was not found to be statistically significant for female patients. Concomitant meniscal repair was associated with an increased risk of arthrofibrosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Female sex and concomitant meniscal repair were associated with an increased localized anterior arthrofibrosis incidence. Furthermore, ASTQT with a femoral tunnel diameter of 9.25 mm or greater in male patients was associated with an increased incidence of arthrofibrosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective, comparative prognostic trial.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with all-soft tissue quadriceps tendon versus quadriceps tendon with bone block

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether there was a difference in clinical outcomes between patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction (ACLR) with all-soft tissue quadriceps tendon (sQT) autograft versus QT with bone block (bQT).

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of 708 patients who underwent QT ACLR was conducted. Primary ACLR patients with at least 1 year of follow-up were identified and those who received sQT were compared to those who received bQT. Data collection entailed patient demographics, surgical variables, patient reported outcomes (PROs), knee stability testing, and complications. The primary outcome of interest was International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, reported as mean score, pre- and postoperative difference, and number who met minimum clinically important difference (MCID). Secondary outcomes included Lachman and pivot shift grade, other patient reported outcomes (PROs), complication rates, and return to sport (RTS).

RESULTS

A total of 195 patients (147 sQT, 48 bQT) who underwent primary QT ACLR met criteria for analysis, with mean follow-up of 17.0 ± 7.9 months. No difference was detected between cohorts with respect to postoperative IKDC score (sQT: n = 120, 81.0 ± 18.9, bQT: n = 10, 80.9 ± 20.4, n.s.), proportion of patients who met MCID (sQT: 68/78 [87%], bQT: 6/7 [86%], n.s.), or results of stability testing. In the sQT cohort, 86% (106/123) of athletes achieved full RTS, compared to 85% (34/40) in the bQT cohort (n.s.). Time to RTS was less than a year in both cohorts (sQT: 10.5 ± 3.8 months [n = 106], bQT: 11.1 ± 3.9 months [n = 31], n.s.). Graft rupture occurred in 7 (5%) sQT patients and 3 (6%) bQT patients (n.s.), and all clinical failures were due to graft rupture (n.s.). No differences were detected for rates of postoperative complications.

CONCLUSION

No differences in clinical outcomes were detected between patients who underwent primary ACLR with sQT autograft versus bQT autograft. Currently, the decision to employ sQT or bQT is largely determined by surgeon preference. This study demonstrates excellent outcomes with both preparations and supports the use of either graft type at the discretion of the treating surgeon.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Macroscopic and microscopic findings of multi-folded hamstring grafts of anatomical double-bundle ACL reconstruction 13 years after surgery

A 49-year-old woman underwent anatomic double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a hamstring tendon. Due to knee osteoarthritis progression, total knee arthroplasty was performed 13 years after the surgery. The anteromedial (AM) bundle was composed partly of tendon-like tissue and partly of scar-like tissue. In the tendon-like part of the AM bundle, the collagen fibers were slightly loose and showed a low-frequency crimp structure with an ovoid cell shape. In contrast, the collagen arrangement in the scar-like part was irregular, edematous, and sparsely cell-dense, with an ovoid cell shape. The posterolateral bundles were generally composed of spindle-shaped cells, and the collagen was arranged in tight cohesion and had well-demarcated bundles with normal crimping. Within the tibial tunnel, the graft was mainly connected to the surrounding lamellar bone on the posterior sides, with sparser connections on the anterior and medial/lateral side. The findings of this long-term case provide valuable information to enable understanding of multiple-folded hamstring tendons.Level of evidence V.

Bone filling decreases donor site morbidity after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with bone-patellar tendon-bone autografts

PURPOSE

Bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) autograft remains the most widely used graft source for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The drawback associated with BTB is increased donor-site morbidity, such as anterior knee pain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare anterior knee pain after refilling the patella bony defect with bone substitute.

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients who underwent BTB ACLR at a single institution between January 2015 and December 2020. The cohort was divided into two groups; one in which the patellar bony defect was refilled with bone substitute (Bone Graft group) and another in which this the bony defects were not treated (No Bone Graft group). Demographic variables, reported anterior knee pain, visual analog scale (VAS) score, complications, re-operation, and patient reported outcome measures, such as the IKDC, LYSHOLM and SF-12 scores, were compared between groups.

RESULTS

A total of 286 patients who underwent BTB ACLR were included. The No Bone Graft group included 88 (30.7%) patients and the Bone Graft group included 198 (69.3%) patients. The Bone Graft group had less anterior knee pain at last clinic follow up (33.3% vs. 51.1% p = 0.004) as well as lower VAS anterior knee pain scores (2.18 vs. 3.13, p = 0.004). The Bone Graft group had lower complications rates (21.7% vs 34.1, p = 0.027). No differences were found in the LYSHOLM, IKDC, and SF-12 scores.

CONCLUSION

Bone refilling in BTB ACLR significantly reduces prevalence and severity of anterior knee pain. Larger randomized trials are needed to confirm the benefits of bone refilling in ACLR patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Retrospective study-III.