A Study of Functional Outcome of Arthroscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Hamstring Graft.
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a common cause of knee instability and functional limitation. Arthroscopic reconstruction using hamstring tendon autografts is widely used because of favorable functional outcomes and lower donor-site morbidity. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the clinical and functional outcomes of patients undergoing arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using a hamstring tendon autograft. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted over 18 months in the Department of Orthopaedics, M.G.M. Medical College and L.S.K. Hospital, Kishanganj, Bihar. Fifty patients aged 18-50 years with clinically and radiologically confirmed ACL tears underwent primary arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using a quadrupled hamstring tendon autograft. Femoral fixation was performed using a cortical button and tibial fixation using an interference screw. Patients were followed at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months. Functional outcome was assessed using the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale, while clinical stability and post-operative complications were documented. No comparator group was included. The study was confined to one institution, and no instrumented laxity measurements or formal return-to-sport outcomes were reported. Results: The mean age of participants was 31.72 ± 8.88 years, and 72% were male. Road traffic accidents were the commonest mechanism of injury (44%), followed by sports-related injuries (36%). Medial meniscal tear was the most common associated injury (40%). Fifteen of 50 patients (30%) experienced a recorded post-operative complication. In the total cohort, anterior knee pain occurred in 5/50 (10%), tunnel widening in 4/50 (8%), infection in 3/50 (6%), and tibial screw dislodgement, graft failure, and knee stiffness in 1/50 (2%) each. The mean Lysholm score improved from 50.74 ± 6.342 preoperatively to 86.00 ± 10.067 postoperatively (P < 0.05); 52% had good, and 32% had excellent Lysholm outcomes at final follow-up. Conclusion: In this single-center prospective observational cohort of 50 patients, Lysholm scores improved over 12 months after hamstring autograft ACL reconstruction, with 84% classified as having good-to-excellent outcomes. These findings describe short-term recovery within the treated cohort. The absence of a comparator and adjusted analyses precludes causal attribution or conclusions about superiority over alternative reconstruction strategies or non-operative management; long-term effectiveness and return to sport were not established.
Source: PubMed
Authors: M Akhil, Amrit Singh, Yakshit Gera
Language: English
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225578470