Evidence for Allograft use in ACL reconstruction
MTF- Musculoskeletal Tissue Foundation
Ever wondered why you have to give up one body part in order to reconstruct another. This is because donated tissue are either weaker or may carry a risk of disease transmission.
An American company MTF Biologics (https://www.mtfbiologics.org) who have been supplying allograft (donor) tissue in the USA for the last 30yrs have finally received approval for there products to be brought to Australia. This company has a patented process of preparing the donor tissue to maintain the strength and in combination with stringent donor selection reduce the risk of infection to that of autograft (host tissue) surgery.
The question has then to be asked why do we still use autograft to reconstruct Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) or for that matter the PCL. Noted that there are no Australian trials showing its equivalancy to autograft. Attached below is a summary index paper with all white papers and peer review published literatures on this topic.
I have just started using this tissue for my ACL reconstructions and plan to set up a prospective data bank and compare them to my last 100 Hamstring Tendon Autograft ACL reconstructions. As i am one of the first surgeons in Australia using this tissue it is imperative that i collect data appropriately and in time report on my outcomes.
I think that what i will find is less thigh pain from 1. Shorter Tourniquet time and 2. Hamstring harvest stripping. Traditionally Bone Tendon Bone graft had limitation with fixation options but now with newer fixation device even the BPTB can be suspended at both ends. ( https://www.conmed.com/en/medical-specialties/orthopedics/knee/ligament-reconstruction/acl/fixation/graftmax-button-adjustable-cortical-fixation-device )
Attached below is a 1. Understanding Allograft fact sheet and 2. Clinical Summary Index Paper
1. Understanding_Allografts_Patient_Brochure_MKTG-1248_Rev0.pdf
2. Clinical_Summary_Index_Paper.pdf