Level I RCT of 120 patients randomized to BPTB or doubled semitendinosus-gracilis ACL reconstruction, asking whether graft choice affects clinical and radiographic outcomes at minimum two-year follow-up when modern fixation devices and standardized rehab are used.
When counseling patients on ACL graft choice, use this data to frame specific trade-offs: BPTB carries meaningful anterior knee harvest-site morbidity (critical for patients who kneel occupationally or in sport), while hamstring grafts carry higher rates of femoral tunnel widening and may underperform stability-wise when the medial meniscus is absent.
Both grafts are equivalent in function when fixation and rehab are optimized — surgeon proficiency with the chosen technique matters more than the graft itself.
Level I RCT of 120 patients randomized to BPTB or doubled semitendinosus-gracilis ACL reconstruction, asking whether graft choice affects clinical and radiographic outcomes at minimum two-year follow-up when modern fixation devices and standardized rehab are used.
When counseling patients on ACL graft choice, use this data to frame specific trade-offs: BPTB carries meaningful anterior knee harvest-site morbidity (critical for patients who kneel occupationally or in sport), while hamstring grafts carry higher rates of femoral tunnel widening and may underperform stability-wise when the medial meniscus is absent.
Both grafts are equivalent in function when fixation and rehab are optimized — surgeon proficiency with the chosen technique matters more than the graft itself.