Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL): Innovations in Clinical Management

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Orthopedics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 May 2025 | Viewed by 3164

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Herz-Jesu Krankenhaus · Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Interests: individualized ACL surgery; hamstrings; QuadTend; BTB; ACL refixation

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Guest Editor
1. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Paracelsus Medical University Hospital, Strubergasse 21, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
2. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, St. Vincent Shoulder & Sports Clinic, Baumgasse 20A, 1030 Vienna, Austria
Interests: orthopaedics; traumatology; accident surgery

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Guest Editor
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, St. Vincent Shoulder & Sports Clinic, Baumgasse 20A, 1030 Vienna, Austria
Interests: knee surgery; knee endoprosthetics; joint-maintaining knee surgery; customized; state-of-the-art cruciate ligament surgery; meniscal surgery; cartilage surgery; minimal invasive knee endoprosthetics and partial replacement; mechanical axis correction of the upper/lower leg; sports medicine

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lesions of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) are common among physically active patients.

Despite the improvements regarding surgical techniques and various graft choices in the last decade, the number of re-ruptures and persisting instability remains high.

This Special Issue aims to focus on innovations in clinical management of ACL injuries. Alternative graft choices (e.g., QuadTend autograft) must confirm their promising short-term results in longer observation periods in comparison to modern HT and BTB techniques. ACL repair techniques are of increasing scientific interest. However, there is still a lack of data regarding perfect patient choice and applicability in high-demanding patients.

Recently, many studies are focusing on anterolateral and anteromedial instabilities. The results are controversial. The need for an ALL reconstruction in primary ACL reconstruction or if the graft choice is depending on co-injuries (e.g., HT in medial insufficiency) remains unanswered.

Furthermore, bony surgical interventions in revision ACL surgery are still part of discussion. There is still need for an algorithm in ACL revision management.

This Special Issue combines original and review articles to demonstrate innovations and trends in ACL injury management.

Dr. Xaver Feichtinger
Dr. Thomas Hoffelner
Dr. Georg Brandl
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • ACL
  • graft choice
  • ACL repair
  • ALL
  • tibial slope

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 2507 KiB  
Article
Use of Anthropometric Data for the Prediction of Four-Strand Hamstring Graft Size in White Caucasian Population
by Theodoros Bouras, Ioanna Lianou, Andreas Filippopoulos, John Lakoumentas and Dimitrios Ntourantonis
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(3), 825; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14030825 - 27 Jan 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to preoperatively estimate the four-strand hamstring graft size in a White Caucasian population, using anthropometric data. Methods: This was a prospective study of a consecutive series of fifty patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, who [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to preoperatively estimate the four-strand hamstring graft size in a White Caucasian population, using anthropometric data. Methods: This was a prospective study of a consecutive series of fifty patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, who were scheduled for reconstruction using hamstring autografts; however, one of them was ultimately not enrolled according to the exclusion criteria (49 patients in total). Preoperatively, age, sex, weight, body mass index (BMI), length, and diameter of the contralateral thigh, length of the harvested gracilis/semitendinosus tendons, and length and thickness of the four-stranded graft were recorded. Graft diameter and length were dependent variables, measured via a graft sizer and a ruler, respectively. Quantitative variables were described with mean ± SD (correlated in a pairwise manner with Pearson’s r correlation). Qualitative variables were described with an absolute count (relative % percent) per categorical level, and their dependency on any quantitative (dependent) variable was assessed via Student’s t-test. Results: The mean lengths of the gracilis and semitendinosus were 25.6 ± 3.2 cm and 28.4 ± 3.3 cm, respectively, and they were positively correlated with the length of the four-strand hamstring graft along with the patients’ height and thigh length. Conclusions: The use of anthropometric data can assist in the prediction of the hamstring autograft size, aiding the selection of an appropriate graft type. The four-strand hamstring graft length was related to the gracilis, semitendinosus, and thigh length. The patients’ height was related to the graft length and diameter. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL): Innovations in Clinical Management)
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10 pages, 241 KiB  
Article
The “11 to Perf Score”, a Test for Professional Players Returning to Soccer After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
by Elio Disegni, Geoffrey Memain, Jean Bouvet, Maxime Gaspar, Romain Maille, Bertrand Tamalet, Emmanuel Orhant, Pascal Maille, Yoann Bohu and Alexandre Hardy
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14010011 - 24 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1048
Abstract
Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is common among soccer players. Although there are no strict recommendations for the return to sport, more and more practitioners are having their patients perform isokinetic and even composite tests. However, these tests have not yet [...] Read more.
Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is common among soccer players. Although there are no strict recommendations for the return to sport, more and more practitioners are having their patients perform isokinetic and even composite tests. However, these tests have not yet been shown to be predictive of re-injury, and are not specific to professional footballers. Objectives: The “11 to Perf” is a test designed to help professional footballers return to sport after ACL reconstruction. Its originality lies in its integration of soccer practice with specific tests. The aim of this article is to present the “11 to Perf” evaluation method. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted at the Centre National du Football (FIFA center) in Clairefontaine, including professional footballers who have undergone anterior cruciate ligament surgery and rehabilitation. Tests include clinical assessments, jumping, agility, psychological and isokinetic tests and match simulation. Conclusions: The “11 to Perf” is a composite test designed to assess the return to sport of professional footballers after ACL reconstruction. Its predictive capacity for recurrence should be assessed in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL): Innovations in Clinical Management)
9 pages, 561 KiB  
Article
Lateral Extraarticular Tenodesis in Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: An Analysis of Clinical Outcomes and Failure Rates
by Lorenz Fritsch, Luca Bausch, Armin Runer, Philipp W. Winkler, Romed P. Vieider, Sebastian Siebenlist, Julian Mehl and Lukas Willinger
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(23), 7201; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13237201 - 27 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 911
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Lateral extraarticular tenodesis (LET) has been advocated in revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) to improve knee stability and furthermore, decrease failure rates. The aim of this study was to compare clinical outcomes, knee laxity, and failure rates after revision ACLR [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Lateral extraarticular tenodesis (LET) has been advocated in revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) to improve knee stability and furthermore, decrease failure rates. The aim of this study was to compare clinical outcomes, knee laxity, and failure rates after revision ACLR with LET (ACLR + LET) versus without LET. It was hypothesized that ACLR + LET improves clinical outcomes and reduces the failure rate. Methods: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was conducted to examine patients who underwent revision ACLR with and without LET between 2017 and 2021 with a minimum follow-up of 24 months. Patients with coronal malalignment (>5°), posterior tibial slope >12°, and concomitant injuries to collateral ligaments were excluded. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) included the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee score, the Lysholm score, and the Tegner activity scale (TAS). Anterior knee laxity was measured with a Rolimeter and side-to-side difference (SSD) was determined. Revision ACLR failure was defined as ACL revision surgery and SSD > 5 mm. Group comparisons were performed using chi-square-, independent-samples students t-test or Mann–Whitney–U tests. Results: Of 56 eligible patients, 45 (80%, follow up, 23 isolated rACLR vs. 22 rACLR + LET) were included with a mean follow-up of 45.6 ± 15.8 months. Postoperative PROMs were not statistically different between rACLR and rACLR + LET groups (IKDC: 73.0 ± 18.9 vs. 68.7 ± 16.6, n.s.; Lysholm: 84.8 ± 12.3 vs. 77.7 ± 16.2, n.s.). Both groups showed similar TAS (rACLR vs. rACLR +LET (5; range 4–6 vs. 4; range 3–5; n.s.). Anterior knee laxity SSD was 2.4 ± 1.3 mm in the rACLR group and 1.8 ± 1.8 mm in the rACLR + LET group (n.s.). The failure rate was 13% in the rACLR group compared to 4.5% in the rACLR + LET group (n.s.). Conclusions: Isolated revision ACLR showed comparable postoperative patient-reported outcome measures and anterior knee laxity compared to ACLR + LET at mid-term follow up. The addition of a LET demonstrated a lower, though non-significant, failure rate after revision surgery. However, future studies with a prospective, randomized design and an increased number of patients are needed to clearly identify the exact indication for the use of additional LET. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL): Innovations in Clinical Management)
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