Does Patellar Tendon Graft Harvest for ACL Reconstruction Lead to an Increased Rate of Patellofemoral Arthritis?

Shelbourne Knee Center has only used the patellar tendon as the primary graft choice when doing ACL reconstructions. The patellar tendon is considered the “gold standard” of graft choices; however, many do not like to use this tendon due to the difficulty of the rehabilitation.

Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tears: Best Treatment Options

The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is one of two ligaments that sit in the intercondylar notch with the other ligament being the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Above you will see an acute PCL tear (LEFT) compared to the 3.2 year (RIGHT) post injury MRI which shows the PCL healed (dark black structure in the middle is the PCL).

Nonsurgical Treatment of Articular Cartilage Defects in the Knee

Chondral injuries are common to the knee joint especially with ACL injuries or multi-ligament injuries. One study reported 23% of acute ACL injuries and 54% of chronic ACL knees had articular cartilage damage. In general, these lesions are not painful unless there is an elevated chondral flap (OCD) or a loose chondral piece.