ACL reconstruction: patellar tendon versus hamstring grafts—economical aspects

The aim of the present investigation was to compare the costs for the use of patellar tendon versus hamstring tendons as grafts for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction including the different fixation methods. The background is that during recent years there has been a dramatic shift from patellar tendon to hamstring tendons in ACL reconstructions in Sweden. All our patients with ACL reconstructions performed during 1 year (2004) were included. Knee joints numbering 440 in 439 patients were primary ACL reconstructions. A hamstring graft was used in 345 knee joints (78.4%) and a patellar tendon graft in 95 (21.6%) of the patients (Table 2). On average 34 (SD 12.9; range 14–63) ACL reconstructions per surgeon were performed by a total of 14 surgeons. The average cost for patellar tendon procedure was 197 € compared to 436 € for the hamstring procedure. Mean time for surgery in primary reconstructions was 11.5 min shorter (P<0.001) for patellar tendon reconstructions (71.3±31 min) compared to hamstring reconstructions (83.2±27 min). This means a difference in cost of 90 €. The total additional cost (fixation and surgery time) for the hamstring method compared to the patellar tendon method was on an average 329 €. From a strict economic point of view we therefore recommend or at least consider the use of the patellar tendon as a graft in ACL reconstructions.