EC Orthopaedics

Introduction: The aging population are participating in more athletic and physically demanding activities longer and later in life. Advances in medicine have helped to facilitate these activities as well as treating injuries that come along with such activities. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries have always been a devastating injury, but with better surgical procedures and rehabilitation they are merely season ending and not career ending. The debate over the best graft for ACL reconstructions has been ongoing for years and there are numerous studies supporting all types. This study aims to report allografts are an equally viable and effective option for ACL reconstruction in patients over 40 years of age with no difference in re-rupture rates.

Methods: This is a retrospective qualitative study using medical records for patients who underwent an ACL reconstruction by a single provider at Novant Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine from 2018 - 2022 (n = 104). Of those ACL reconstructions, patients over 40 who had allografts were identified (n = 30). All allografts were bone patellar tendon bone (BPTB) grafts with pre-shaped bone blocks measuring 10mm in diameter and 95 - 100 mm in length provided by Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF) biologics. The same sterilization allowash technique was performed on each allograft. All patients followed a specific post operative protocol including physical therapy and weight bearing in a brace immediately post operatively with crutches.

Medical records were reviewed, and patients were contacted via telephone for follow-up information. Data interpreted included demographics, mechanism of injury, pre and post op ROM, pre and post op function, return to sport, complications, re-rupture and subjective instability. The data collected was all categorical and results collated.

Results: See figure 1.

Conclusion: With no patients with a re-rupture, our study provides insight into supporting our hypothesis that patients over 40 years of age can return to physical activity and receive long term benefits from ACL reconstruction using allografts.

 Keywords: Anterior Cruciate Ligament; ACL; Arthroscopy; Joints; Sports Medicine; Allograft

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