CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF ACL RECONSTRUCTION WITH THREE DIFFERENT AUTOGRAFTS.

OBJECTIVE

To compare short-term clinical and functional outcomes (0-6 months) of Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction using rectus femoris autograft versus established graft options.

METHODS

Prospective cohort study (Level II) including 35 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction between 2024 and 2025. Pain, Lysholm score, and range of motion (ROM) were assessed preoperatively, on postoperative day (POD) 1, POD 15, and at six months. Statistical analysis included ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and linear mixed-effects models (α = 0.05).

RESULTS

The sample (15 hamstring, 11 rectus femoris, and 9 patellar tendon grafts) was homogeneous (p < 0.05). Significant improvements over time were observed in Lysholm scores (p < 0.001) and knee flexion ROM (p < 0.001), with no influence of graft type (p = 0.167 and p = 0.177, respectively). On POD 1, pain scores were similar among groups (p = 0.701), with mean Visual Analog Scale (VAS) values of 2.20 (hamstrings), 2.18 (rectus femoris), and 1.78 (patellar tendon). On POD 15, mean pain scores were 1.27, 1.73, and 3.00, respectively, remaining statistically comparable (p = 0.149).

CONCLUSION

ACL reconstruction using the rectus femoris autograft demonstrates clinical and functional outcomes equivalent to patellar tendon and hamstring grafts within the first six months postoperatively. Level of Evidence II; Prospective cohort study.