ACL Reconstruction: Part 2

Choosing a Graft Type

So Mike's first opinion doctor gave us the following options for choosing the type of graft to reconstruct his torn ACL: hamstring graft or allograft (cadaver ACL).  I believe the hamstring graft they take part of the hamstring insertion tendon from behind the knee and use that. The allograft is an ACL from a cadaver. I originally thought that would be a good option since it would be equally as strong, but then you have to worry about diseases that come with donor tissue and that option was out. This doctors' office did not offer the option of using part of the patellar tendon for the ACL graft. The PA actually used Jerry Rice as an example; stating that Jerry Rice had the patellar tendon graft and in turn shattered his knee cap. Mike was BEYOND irritated with this since Jerry Rice had his surgery in what year...like 1997. Talk about OUTDATED evidence based practice....haha. And what this PA also failed to mention was that Jerry Rice returned to football 3 and 1/2 months after surgery! No wonder he shattered his knee cap... So we were pretty irritated. And I started doing my own evidence-based research since these docs clearly weren't.

I kept coming back to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons website stating that the patellar tendon graft is often referred to as the "gold standard" for ACL reconstruction (side note, I love the AAOS website and I literally use it for everything).  I kept thinking   Okay, so how does this one practice not even offer that technique if it's considered the gold standard?? And why are they telling us stories about Jerry Rice from almost 20 years ago... It just wasn't adding up, so thankfully we had the second opinion appointment with the doc who did Kristen's knee.

Without hesitation, Dr. Matthews immediately said he'd do the patellar tendon graft.  He also didn't see an issue with postponing the surgery until after our wedding--great news! He referred Mike to pre-op PT to help with swelling and strengthen the muscles. I wonder what post-op rehab would've been like if Mike had actually attended PT pre-op, but who knows. We went to a PT evaluation at a small clinic near his parents' house and had a horrific experience. I am still contemplating writing them a letter regarding their terrible first impression. But that's another story...

Needless to say, do you research when choosing a graft. You want to choose what's going to be best for you. For Mike, who wants to be able to play sports again...he needed the Adrian Peterson treatment as he would say. If the major athletes get the patellar tendon graft, I wouldn't see why everyone else wouldn't, haha, although that might not apply in all scenarios.