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Hamstring tendons regeneration after ACL reconstruction: an overview

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Despite the long lasting research the ideal method of reconstructing the ACL has not been found so far. The last year’s attention has shifted to the use of the multistrand hamstring tendon grafts. High ultimate tensile load, multiple-bundle replacement that better approximates the anatomy of the normal ACL and low donor site morbidity are the main advantages of this ACL replacement graft. These theoretical advantages have been multiplied when surprisingly studies have shown that semitendinosus and grascillis tendons actually regenerate after harvesting for use as ACL autografts. In this review article we summarize the current knowledge concerning the hamstring regeneration and we focus on issues that have clinical relevance or issues that have not been answered so far.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Assoc. Professor G. Papachristou for his precious advises and his encouragement in the preparation of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. St Olga’s Hospital, 2nd Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Athens University, Athens, Greece

    Vassilios S. Nikolaou & Nicolas Efstathopoulos

  2. Karolinska University Hospital, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Advanced Medical Simulation, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    Torsten Wredmark

  3. Megalou Alexandrou 54, 15124, Maroussi, Athens, Greece

    Vassilios S. Nikolaou

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  1. Vassilios S. Nikolaou
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  2. Nicolas Efstathopoulos
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  3. Torsten Wredmark
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Correspondence to Vassilios S. Nikolaou.

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Nikolaou, V.S., Efstathopoulos, N. & Wredmark, T. Hamstring tendons regeneration after ACL reconstruction: an overview . Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 15, 153–160 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-006-0160-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-006-0160-4

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