Analysis of autograft and allograft maturity and postoperative clinical outcomes 10 years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
Objective To evaluate and compare the maturity of autografts and allografts as well as the postoperative clinical outcomes 10 years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction(ACLR).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 64 patients who underwent anterior cruciate liga-ment reconstruction,with an average follow-up period of about 10 years.Autografts were used in 36 cases(56.2%),and allografts in 28 cases(43.8%).Both groups were recorded the knee Lysholm scores,IKDC subjective scores,and stability tests results(KT-1000 side-to-side difference and Lach-man test).Moreover,graft maturity was assessed using the knee magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),and the Signal-to-Noise Quotient(SNQ)for both types of grafts was measured.Results No significant differences were observed between the autograft and allograft groups in the average follow-up time(10.1±2.1 and 10.5±1.8 years)(P=0.376),the SNQ value(24.1±8.8 and 23.2±8.7)(P= 0.652),the Lysholm score(90±10.3 and 89.4±8.9)(P=0.805)and the anterior joint stability dur-ing follow-up(P=0.923).Moreover,the average IKDC score and incidence of abnormal tension of the ligament measured by KT1000 of the autograft group were higher than the allograft group[(84.5±8.3)vs.(80.4±7.8),P=0.075;14.3%vs.8.3%,P=0.724].Meanwhile,ACL re-tear occurred to two cas-es in the autograft group(5.6%)and the allograft group(7.1%),respectively,showing no significant dif-ference(P=0.795).Conclusion Ten years after ACLR,no significant differences are found in graft ma-turity,clinical outcomes,or joint stability between patients using autografts and allografts.Moreover,the rate of graft re-tear is comparable between the two groups.