Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2011 Jan;3(1):73-81.
doi: 10.1177/1941738110386185.

Allograft Versus Autograft Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Predictors of Failure From a MOON Prospective Longitudinal Cohort

Christopher C Kaeding  1 , Brian Aros, Angela Pedroza, Eric Pifel, Annunziato Amendola, Jack T Andrish, Warren R Dunn, Robert G Marx, Eric C McCarty, Richard D Parker, Rick W Wright, Kurt P Spindler
Affiliations

Allograft Versus Autograft Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Predictors of Failure From a MOON Prospective Longitudinal Cohort

Christopher C Kaeding et al. Sports Health. 2011 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Tearing an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft is a devastating occurrence after ACL reconstruction (ACLR). Identifying and understanding the independent predictors of ACLR graft failure is important for surgical planning, patient counseling, and efforts to decrease the risk of graft failure.

Hypothesis: Patient and surgical variables will predict graft failure after ACLR.

Study design: Prospective cohort study.

Methods: A multicenter group initiated a cohort study in 2002 to identify predictors of ACLR outcomes, including graft failure. First, to control for confounders, a single surgeon's data (n = 281 ACLRs) were used to develop a multivariable regression model for ACLR graft failure. Evaluated variables were graft type (autograft vs allograft), sex, age, body mass index, activity at index injury, presence of a meniscus tear, and primary versus revision reconstruction. Second, the model was validated with the rest of the multicenter study's data (n = 645 ACLRs) to evaluate the generalizability of the model.

Results: Patient age and ACL graft type were significant predictors of graft failure for all study surgeons. Patients in the age group of 10 to 19 years had the highest percentage of graft failures. The odds of graft rupture with an allograft reconstruction are 4 times higher than those of autograft reconstructions. For each 10-year decrease in age, the odds of graft rupture increase 2.3 times.

Conclusion: There is an increased risk of ACL graft rupture in patients who have undergone allograft reconstruction. Younger patients also have an increased risk of ACL graft failure.

Clinical relevance: Given these risks for ACL graft rupture, allograft ACLRs should be performed with caution in the younger patient population.

Keywords: allograft; anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; autograft; retear.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest declared.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Percentage of graft failures by graft type for the combined consortium cohort.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Percentage of graft failures by age groups for the combined consortium cohort.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Probability of retear (in percentages on vertical axis) for autograft versus allograft by age for the combined consortium cohort.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

    1. Agel J, Arendt EA, Bershadsky B. Anterior cruciate ligament injury in national collegiate athletic association basketball and soccer: a 13-year review. Am J Sports Med. 2005;33(4):524-530 - PubMed
    1. Anderson AF, Dome DC, Gautam S, Awh MH, Rennirt GW. Correlation of anthropometric measurements, strength, anterior cruciate ligament size, and intercondylar notch characteristics to sex differences in anterior cruciate ligament tear rates. Am J Sports Med. 2001;29(1):58-66 - PubMed
    1. Arendt E, Dick R. Knee injury patterns among men and women in collegiate basketball and soccer: NCAA data and review of literature. Am J Sports Med. 1995;23(6):694-701 - PubMed
    1. Barber-Westin SD, Noyes FR, Andrews M. A rigorous comparison between the sexes of results and complications after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Am J Sports Med. 1997;25(4):514-526 - PubMed
    1. Caraffa A, Cerulli G, Projetti M, Aisa G, Rizzo A. Prevention of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in soccer: a prospective controlled study of proprioceptive training. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 1996;4(1):19-21 - PubMed