CONTRALATERAL PATELLAR TENDON AUTOGRAFT IN ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION

Contralateral grafts have comparable efficacy to ipsilateral grafts in anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions: a systematic review

PURPOSE

To perform a systematic review of the clinical outcomes of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using either contralateral or ipsilateral tendon autografts.

METHODS

A systematic review of literature published from inception to December 9, 2022, in multiple databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library) was conducted in accordance with the 2020 PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews) guidelines. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, performed the risk of bias assessment and assessed the study quality. At least one of the following outcomes was evaluated for each study: muscle strength (isometric strength of the quadriceps or hamstring muscles, isokinetic peak flexion torque of the hamstring, or isokinetic peak extension torque of the hamstring), knee laxity examination, Lysholm score, pivot shift, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Lachman test result, return to sports time, or incidence of complications. A random effects model was used for all analyses.

RESULTS

Four hundred scientific manuscripts were recovered in the initial search. After screening, 12 studies (2 randomized controlled trials, 9 cohort studies, and 1 case- control study) met the search criteria for the qualitative analysis. Among them, 9 cohort studies were used for the quantitative analysis. The results showed few statistically significant differences in terms of muscle strength (contralateral group versus ipsilateral group or donor site group versus ipsilateral group or donor site group versus nonoperative group), Lysholm score, and return to sports time. A comparison showed no significant differences in knee laxity, IKDC score, Tegner activity score, Lachman test score, or incidence of complication, or contralateral rupture.

CONCLUSIONS

In anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, the contralateral autologous tendon has a similar effect as the ipsilateral autologous tendon.

No differences found in long-term outcomes of a randomized controlled trial comparing ipsilateral versus contralateral hamstring graft in ACL reconstruction

PURPOSE

Contralateral graft harvest in primary ACL reconstruction is relatively uncommon and the long-term comparative of this approach relative to ipsilateral harvest has not been described. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ACL graft and contralateral rupture following ipsilateral or contralateral semitendinosus and gracilis (STG) graft harvest at follow-up of a minimum 10 years post-reconstruction in the treatment of a complete ACL tear.

METHODS

Patients from a previous randomized trial were evaluated. The primary outcome measures were ipsilateral and contralateral reinjury as well as the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) knee assessment form, the ACL Quality of Life questionnaire (ACL-QoL) and the Tegner activity scale. Participants completed four different single-leg hop tests and concentric knee flexion and extension strength were assessed on an isokinetic dynamometer.

RESULTS

Of the original 100 patients, 50 patients (41.3 ± 9.5 years of age, 31 males, 19 females) reported on re-injury at 12.6 ± 1.4 years post-operative. Thirty-eight patients returned for full assessment and 12 responded by mail or phone survey. There were no differences between groups for graft rupture, contralateral injury, ACL-QoL score, IKDC categorization, or anterior tibial translation, though both groups experienced a reduction in the Tegner Activity Scale from their preinjury scores. There was no difference in knee flexor and extensor isokinetic concentric strength, or single leg hop test performance. Knee flexor strength limb symmetry index was reduced when measured in the supine relative to the seated position in both groups, indicating persistent deficits in knee flexor strength when measured in the supine position.

CONCLUSION

Contralateral hamstring harvest does not put patients at an increased risk of a contralateral ACL tear and long-term outcomes of ACL reconstruction do not differ based on the side of graft harvest. Contralateral STG harvest may provide a safe alternative surgical option for select patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II.

Unilateral Versus Bilateral Resistance Exercise in Postoperative Rehabilitation After ACL Reconstruction With Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Graft: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Lower limb muscle strength symmetry has been suggested as an essential criterion for the safe return to sports after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Limited evidence is available regarding the most effective intervention to achieve symmetry after reconstruction with contralateral bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) graft.

Purpose

To verify whether unilateral isotonic resistance exercise is more effective than bilateral exercise for obtaining postoperative functional and muscular strength symmetry between the donor limb and reconstructed limb for patients who received BPTB graft.

Study Design

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods

A total of 88 patients were randomly divided into a control group (n = 44) and an intervention group (n = 44). All participants performed an 8-week exercise program starting at the beginning of the fourth postoperative month and were evaluated before and after the program. The control group performed bilateral exercises, and the intervention group performed unilateral exercises for the donor limb only (the limb with the greatest disability). The primary outcome was muscle strength (peak torque and hamstrings to quadriceps [H:Q] ratio), and the secondary outcomes were range of motion (ROM; goniometry), KT-1000 arthrometer side-to-side difference in anteroposterior knee laxity, and objective (single-leg hop test) and subjective (Lysholm score) functionality.

Results

Both groups improved significantly from before to after the exercise program. The improvements were significantly greater in the intervention group regarding peak torque, H:Q ratio, flexion ROM, single-leg hop test, and Lysholm score in the donor limb (P < .001 for all), and the improvements were significantly greater in the control group regarding peak torque and single-leg hop test in the reconstructed limb (P < .001 for both). Comparison between the groups showed significantly increased symmetry regarding peak torque, H:Q ratio, and single-leg hop test in the intervention group compared with the control group (P < .001), with large effect sizes (>0.80) except for the H:Q ratio.

Conclusion

Although postoperative, bilateral, isotonic resistance exercise provided better strength gains to the reconstructed limb, unilateral exercise was more effective in obtaining functional and muscle strength between-limb symmetry in patients who underwent ACL reconstruction with contralateral BPTB graft.

Registration

Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (number RBR-22rnjh).