Study Summary

Sixty-nine patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-confirmed complete anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears were randomized to receive quadriceps tendon (QT) autograft reconstruction or hamstring tendon (HT) autograft reconstruction. The outcomes of interest were objective knee stability measures, including Lachman test, anterior drawer test, pivot shift test, KT-1000 arthrometer measurements, Lysholm score, KOOS score, VAS pain score, graft failure, donor site morbidity, and postoperative complications. Outcomes were assessed preoperatively and at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. The results of the study revealed that QT autografts demonstrated superior translational stability, with significantly more patients achieving negative Lachman and anterior drawer tests at 12 months. QT autografts were also associated with higher Lysholm and KOOS scores and lower donor site morbidity compared with HT autografts. These findings suggest that QT autografts may provide improved knee stability and reduced sensory complications following ACL reconstruction.