Program

Physician Assistant M.S.

Year Approved

2016

First Advisor

Hanson, Christy

Abstract

The three most widely used graft choices currently employed in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair are: patellar tendon autograft, hamstring tendon autograft, and cadaver tendon allograft. The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of each of these 3 graft choices (patellar tendon autograft, hamstring tendon autograft and cadaver tendon allograft) and determine which graft is less prone to re-tear. The study was implemented using a quantitative design process. The patient data was obtained and analyzed via Facebook survey. All identifying patient information was removed. Patients were included based on whether or not their ACL reconstruction was performed using patellar tendon autograft, hamstring tendon autograft, or cadaver tendon allograft. ACL reconstruction restores functional stability to the knee, protecting the meniscal cartilages from cumulative future damage. Successful ACL reconstruction can strongly impact a patient’s quality of life, allowing them to return to full active exercise, sporting activities and routine activities of daily living. Yet, despite these clear advantages to repairing the ACL and the number of operations performed each year, ACL reconstruction remains one of the most widely performed procedures, there is no definitive answer as to which type of repair is more preferential in regards to preventing re-tear. This study found that there is not a significant difference in the three most commonly used grafts in ACL reconstruction among this population of participants in regards to postoperative re-tear.

Degree Name

Masters of Science in Physician Assistant

Document Type

Masterʼs thesis

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