Publication:

Short-term follow-up of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using rectus femoris autograft: a retrospective cohort study

Background Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is widely performed to restore knee stability and function following ACL injury. Although hamstring tendon, bone-patellar tendon–bone, and quadriceps tendon (QT) autografts are commonly used, interest in rectus femoris graft (RFG) has recently increased because of its favorable graft characteristics and potentially lower donor-site morbidity. This study evaluated the short-term clinical and functional outcomes of arthroscopic ACL reconstruction (ACLR) using rectus femoris autograft.

Methods This retrospective cohort study included 36 patients with isolated ACL injuries who underwent arthroscopic ACLR using rectus femoris autograft. Patients (n=36) aged 18-45 years were included. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Tegner-Lysholm knee score and visual analogue scale (VAS). The mean follow-up duration was 16.28 months.

Results The mean age of the patients was 28.47 years, with males comprising 78% of the cohort. Sports injuries were the most common cause of ACL tears. The mean graft length was 30.72 cm, and mean graft diameter was 8.19 mm. The mean Lysholm score improved significantly from 57.17±7.11 preoperatively to 89.23±2.53 at 12 months (p<0.001). Mean VAS score decreased from 3.17±1.07 preoperatively to 0.71±0.70 at 12 months. Mild quadriceps weakness was observed in four patients and improved with physiotherapy.

Conclusions Arthroscopic ACLR using rectus femoris autograft demonstrated favorable short-term functional outcomes with low complication rates. Further prospective studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up are needed to validate these findings.