Anterior cruciate ligament rupture of the knee joint can be reconstructed by autologous tendon, homologous tendon or artificial ligament.
1. Autologous tendon: most of the material is taken from the patient’s own hamstring or peroneal longissimus tendon; autologous tendon is relatively simple and economical, with good compatibility, and no risk of infectious diseases and immune exclusion reaction; however, the patient is easily fearful of the loss of his own structure and possible loss of function.
2. Homologous allograft tendon: the range of material is wider, can be selected from the cadaver Achilles tendon, patellar tendon, quadriceps tendon, etc., generally from the company or laboratory fixed commodities, the source is more stable; allograft tendon will not cause the patient’s own loss of function, but there may be immune rejection reaction and the potential risk of disease transmission, and will also increase the patient’s additional medical costs.
3. Artificial ligaments: no post-operative re-plasticization process, also avoids the problem of ligament laxity or re-rupture, can return to sports after rehabilitation in the early period, suitable for professional athletes and patients who are eager to return to work.
However, artificial ligaments are not suitable for all patients with ACL rupture, which should be judged according to the course of the injury and the extent of the injury; and there are problems such as interface screws and bone marrow channel healing, and the price is relatively expensive is also an aspect that needs to be considered.
The ACL works in conjunction with other structures in the joint to maintain knee stability, and early arthroscopic ACL reconstruction is often required to resolve the problem at all. Each of the above reconstruction materials has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the use of a particular material depends on the clinical diagnosis and the acceptability of the material to the patient.