When faced with making a decision for how best to reconstruct an injured ACL, surgeons can consider two equally viable options in regards to healing, according to research presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting.
Here are five key notes, according to the research:
1. Researchers found both bone-tendon-bone grafts and hamstring autografts were viable options.
2. As part of the study, researchers noted both groups receiving the two options had similar graft motion at six weeks and one year from surgery, ranging between 1mm to 2 mm.
3. With the findings, Justin W. Arner, MD, of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said, "We cannot support the commonly perceived assumption of earlier healing with BTB."
4. Researchers examined 12 patients with an average age of 24 undergoing anatomic single-bundle ACL reconstruction, half receiving the BTB, another receiving the autograft. The study is also part of a larger group of patients using the same methodology.
5. Quantitative MRI will also be done postoperatively to access graft healing.
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