Patients Who Underwent Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction with an All Soft-Tissue Quadriceps Tendon Graft had a Greater Return-to-Play Rate than Patients Who Received a Quadriceps Tendon Bone Graft.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2025

Publication Title

Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation

Abstract

PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with either a quadriceps tendon bone (QTB) graft or an all soft-tissue quadriceps tendon (ASTQT) graft and to compare QTB versus ASTQT graft options, including return to play, patient-reported outcome scores, and complication rates.

METHODS: A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, and Cochrane databases for studies published between 2003 and 2023, focusing on outcomes of quadriceps tendon autograft in ACLR.

RESULTS: In total, 37 studies with a total of 39 cohorts (n = 2,647) met inclusion criteria. The studies included 22 cohorts (n = 1,825 patients) for QTB and 17 cohorts (n = 822 patients) for ASTQT. Patients who underwent ACLR with ASTQT graft had a greater rate of return to play compared with those with a QTB (84% to 90% vs 45%-85%). Between ASTQT and QTB graft constructs, International Knee Documentation Committee scores (77.4 to 94.8 vs 71.2 to 92), Lysholm scores (85-95.5 vs 86-96.1), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Pain (88.9-89.7 vs 90-90.7), return-to-play times (269.2-319.4 days vs 337.6 days), and revision rates (2.3%-12.8% vs 0%-2.9%) were similar.

CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis shows a greater return-to-play rate in patients who underwent ACLR with an ASTQT compared with QTB graft. No differences were found in patient-reported outcome scores or revision rates.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level I-IV studies.

Volume

7

Issue

5

First Page

101223

Last Page

101223

DOI

10.1016/j.asmr.2025.101223

ISSN

2666-061X

PubMed ID

41583804

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