To surgically reconstruct the ACL, the surgeon uses the patients’ own tissue (graft) to become the new ligament.  Different tissues may have different advantages and disadvantages, and yet, the three most commonly used options have not been compared directly in one study.  The main goal of this study is to compare three tissues used to reconstruct the ACL – hamstring, bone-patellar tendon-bone, and quadriceps tendon.

Two hundred and sixty-eight patients with a ruptured ACL will be recruited before undergoing surgery, with an equal number of patients getting each of the three graft types.  Re-rupture rate of the ACL within the first two years post-operative is the main outcome to be compared.  Patients will also be evaluated on strength, stability, and running, walking, hopping, and jumping ability before and at 6-, 12-, and 24-months post-surgery.

This study will allow for re-rupture risk to be weighed against differences in function and ability, with the goal of providing information to practitioners to make informed decisions, maximizing patient outcomes and minimizing impacts on the health care system.

The desired outcome of this study for patients is that the strengths and limitations of each graft option will be more clear, thus leading to the most appropriate graft selection to suit each patient’s needs.