Revision ACL reconstruction using doubled semitendinosus and gracilis tendons: a follow-up study

Abstract

Few papers report the results of revision ACL reconstruction with hamstrings tendons. We report our results with revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery using a doubled gracilis and semitendinosus tendons (DGST) graft, in association with an exta-articular procedure. Twelve patients underwent ACL revision surgery using autogenous homolateral DGST graft in association with an extra-articular procedure and were evaluated at a mean follow-up of 35 months. At follow-up evaluation, all patients scored negatively on the Lachman test and normally or near normally on the jerk test. The KT 1000 evaluation showed a average side-to-side difference at 30 lb and MM of 1.4±1.7 mm and 1.6±1.6 mm, respectively. The Lysholm score was 98±2 (range, 94–100); excellent results (score 95–100) were obtained in 83% of cases, good results (score 84–94) in 17%, and no fair or poor results. At the IKDC evaluation, the result was excellent (normal) in one-thirds of cases and good (nearly normal) in twothirds. Therefore, the use of hamstring tendons in association with lateral tenodesis seems to be a good alternative to the use of allografts or contralateral bone-patellar tendon-bone graft in revision ACL reconstructions.