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Allografts in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

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Controversies in the Technical Aspects of ACL Reconstruction

Abstract

Allograft materials are a popular and controversial choice of graft when performing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Despite the versatility of graft options with respect to composition and size, evidence suggesting higher graft rerupture rates in the younger population has limited the widespread use of allografts. Nevertheless, surgeons may elect to use allografts for ACL reconstruction under specific conditions, such as in the older, less athletic population and when a large amount of graft material is needed. Modern processing methods that limit radiation to the graft material during sterilization have maximized the biomechanical potential of allografts while minimizing disease transmission risk. While the more recent literature on allograft performance have produced more favorable outcomes in comparison to autografts, the inferior biological and biomechanical characteristics of implanted allografts raise persistent concerns for rerupture risk following ACL reconstruction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UPMC Center for Sports Medicine, 3200 South Water Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15203, USA

    Tom Chao, Elmar Herbst & Volker Musahl

  2. Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 E 70th Street, New York, NY, 10021, USA

    Kaitlyn L. Yin & Robert G. Marx

Authors
  1. Tom Chao
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  2. Kaitlyn L. Yin
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  3. Elmar Herbst
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  4. Robert G. Marx
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  5. Volker Musahl
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Volker Musahl .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Medical Science in Sports, Osaka Health Science University, Osaka, Japan

    Norimasa Nakamura

  2. Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Stefano Zaffagnini

  3. Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, USA

    Robert G. Marx

  4. UPMC Center for Sports Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Volker Musahl

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Chao, T., Yin, K.L., Herbst, E., Marx, R.G., Musahl, V. (2017). Allografts in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. In: Nakamura, N., Zaffagnini, S., Marx, R., Musahl, V. (eds) Controversies in the Technical Aspects of ACL Reconstruction. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-52742-9_30

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-52742-9_30

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-52740-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-52742-9

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