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Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 12/2023

09-11-2023 | KNEE

A hamstring autograft diameter ≤ 8 mm is a safe option for smaller, lighter and female athletes who want to return to pivoting sports after ACL reconstruction

Results from a retrospective evaluation of a local ACL register

Authors: Nicole Boots, Nicky van Melick, Rob Bogie

Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy | Issue 12/2023

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the association between hamstring autograft diameter and ACL graft failure rate in athletes who successfully returned to pivoting sports after ACL reconstruction.

Methods

Retrospective evaluation of ACL graft failure rates in athletes who underwent ACL reconstruction with all-inside hamstring autograft and successfully returned to pivoting sports following postoperative rehabilitation. Athletes were divided into a ≤ 8 mm group and a > 8 mm group. Data about return to pivoting sports and ACL graft failures after ACL reconstruction were collected via a digital questionnaire. ACL graft failures were in all cases confirmed by an orthopaedic surgeon and/or MRI. The association between hamstring autograft diameter and ACL graft failure rate was investigated using a Fisher’s exact test in the subgroup of athletes who completed the digital questionnaire and returned to pivoting sports.

Results

Two-hundred and twenty-nine of the 422 athletes who completed the digital questionnaire (54.2%) returned to a pivoting sport and were included for final analyses. Ninety-seven (42.4%) of the athletes who returned to sport were in the ≤ 8 mm group (8 graft failures) and 132 (57.6%) in the > 8 mm group (10 graft failures). There were significantly more women (49.5 and 13.6% respectively; p < 0.001) and significantly smaller (1.75 and 1.81 m respectively; p < 0.001), lighter (72.2 and 79.6 kg respectively; p < 0.001) and younger (23.6 and 26.1 years old respectively; p = 0.015) athletes in the ≤ 8 mm group compared to the > 8 mm group. There was no significant association between hamstring autograft diameter and ACL graft failure rate.

Conclusion

A hamstring autograft diameter of ≤ 8 mm is a legitimate option for smaller, lighter and female athletes without increasing the risk for ACL graft failure.

Level of evidence

III.
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Metadata
Title
A hamstring autograft diameter ≤ 8 mm is a safe option for smaller, lighter and female athletes who want to return to pivoting sports after ACL reconstruction
Results from a retrospective evaluation of a local ACL register
Authors
Nicole Boots
Nicky van Melick
Rob Bogie
Publication date
09-11-2023
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy / Issue 12/2023
Print ISSN: 0942-2056
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7347
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-023-07640-4

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