AUTOGRAFT VERSUS ALLOGRAFT ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION

To compare the efficacy of allograft versus autograft central one thir d patella bone-tendon-bone reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligamen ts (ACL), subjective and objective criteria were compared between two groups of 30 patients with 2-year follow-up. Over a 15-month period, 6 0 patients underwent ACL reconstruction with 30 allografts and 30 auto grafts. One surgeon performed all reconstructions, and interference fi t screw fixation was used. An early rehabilitation protocol was instit uted. At 3, 6, 12, and 24 months, allograft and autograft groups were compared based on side-to-side arthrometer difference, swelling, pain, range of motion, patellofermoral pain and crepitation, Lachman's test , pivot shift test, and side-to-side thigh circumference difference. A verage age in the autograft group was 25 years (range, 15 to 43; stand ard deviation, 8.1), and in the allograft group was 27 years (range, 1 5 to 55; standard deviation, 10.9). Thirteen meniscectomies and 12 men iscal repairs were performed at the rime of ACL autograft. Fifteen pat ients in the allograft,stoup had menscectomies, and 10 had meniscal re pairs. There were 15 acute and 15 chronic injuries in the allograft gr oup and 24 acute and 6 chronic in the autograft group. Results were an alyzed using a chi-square test, and no statistical differences between groups were shown at 3, 6, 12, or 24 months for swelling, pain, side- to-side arthrometer difference, pivot shift test, range of motion, pat ellofermoral pain and crepitation, or Lachman's test comparisons. Ther e was a trend for more of the allografts (20%) to have a glide on pivo t shift at 24 months than autografts (7%). At 12 and 24 months, there was no difference in patellofermoral crepitus or thigh circumference. Complications included two patients with superficial infections.