Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction with Four-Fiber Semitendinosus Autograft or Tibialis Anterior Allograft

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the major stabilizing ligaments of the knee. ACL reconstruction usually has high success rate. The choice of graft in ACL reconstruction has been a source of controversy. This study compares the outcome of two commonly used grafts.
Seventy patients with ACL tear among the cases referring to training hospitals of Kerman, Iran from 2013 to 2015 were studied. The patients underwent reconstruction, using, randomly, either the "four-fiber semitendinosus autograft" or tibias abterior allograft". The Lysholm, IKDC, KOOS and SF36 scores were evaluated for comparing clinical stability examination, laxity, subjective satisfaction, and return to work before and after surgery.
The two groups were the same in term of age, range of motion, knee flexion, IKDC, KOOS, Lysholm scores as well as SF36. The ligament laxity did not show a significant difference either. The operative time was significantly different between two groups (p ACL reconstruction with tibias anterior allograft has similar clinical, functional and stability results as semitendinosous autograft in a short time follow-up; although the operation time was shorter in allograft group.