RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CRUCIATE LIGAMENTS WITH ALLOGRAFTS - CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE AND SHORT-TERM RESULTS

There is a continuing search for the ideal substitute for the cruciate ligaments. Autogenous tissues have been widely used as a replacement. The use of allografts is an attractive alternative: no donor side mor bidity, decreased operative time, smaller incisions, especially with n ew endoscopic techniques, unlimited supply with a choice of graft size s in multiple ligament reconstructions and a long shelf-life are some of the distinct advantages that allografts offer. They may be useful i n circumstances where there is no suitable autologous substitute or th e available tendon is too short to span the joint cavity. The preparat ion of an allograft requires appropriate donor selection and screening , careful surgical tissue procurement, and safe and effective processi ng techniques. At the present time, the issue of secondary sterilizati on of allografts remains controversial. Subclinical immune response an d the possibility of transmission of infectious agents have to be cons idered. The early results in the literature and in our small series ar e encouraging; however, long-term results are necessary prior to wides pread use of allografts in cruciate ligaments reconstructions. The aut hors believe that allografts should presently be reserved for use as a n alternative to prosthetic ligaments in situations where autografts a re unavailable or inappropriate.