I'm going to have the anterior cruciate ligament of my right knee repaired. The doctor has proposed taking a piece of tissue from my good side and transferring it to the injured leg. I understand there are two different possible donor sites. Are there any benefits of one over the other?
The two sources of tissue for this operation come from the patellar tendon just below the kneecap and the hamstrings tendon behind the knee. According to current studies, these two methods have equal results. This refers to function and using the leg, strength and stability, and changes seen on X-rays. As with all operations, there are always possible risks and problems that can develop. Using the patellar-bone graft can cause pain under the kneecap. There may also be weakness of the quadriceps muscle along the front of the thigh and possible fracture of the kneecap. Using the hamstrings graft leaves the joint less stable compared to the patellar tendon graft. The graft may not take right away so that it doesn't stick to the bone right away. This can become a problem needing more surgery.
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