A Prospective Cohort Study of Skeletally Immature Patients Requiring Endoscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Using Living Donor Hamstring Allograft From a Parent
The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is a major stabiliser of the knee. ACL rupture is being increasingly identified in children and skeletally immature patients. The current advice in younger patients is usually to undergo ACL reconstruction. The choice of an ideal graft in children is difficult This study will use a technique involves the use of hamstring tendons from a living donor, where the adult (usually a parent) agrees to donate their hamstring tendons, which are dissected out of them and implanted into the child
• Patients aged 8 to 17 years inclusive and have a clinically and radiologically confirmed ACL rupture that requires reconstruction.
• Patients who have had previous surgery for meniscal pathology .
• Patients with current meniscal pathology
• The child and their responsible adult are in agreement with the choice to undergo anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using living donor allograft.
• Donors has not previously undergone tendon harvest on the chosen donor limb
• Patients are willing to attend follow up appointments and agree to fill in knee questionnaires and allow instrumented knee ligament testing.