Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction with Quadriceps Tendon Autograft

INTRODUCTION: We describe a minimally invasive surgical technique for harvest of a quadriceps tendon autograft that reliably produces a graft suitable for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction while minimizing morbidity and complications classically associated with alternative autograft choices. STEP 1 POSITIONING: Position the patient supine on the operating room table. STEP 2 MARKING OF LANDMARKS: Palpate and mark soft-tissue and osseous landmarks on the involved extremity. STEP 3 SUBCUTANEOUS DISSECTION: Perform the incision and subcutaneous dissection. STEP 4 GRAFT HARVEST: Harvest the graft. STEP 5 GRAFT PREPARATION: Prepare the graft. STEP 6 CLOSURE: If a partial-thickness graft is harvested, no deep closure is needed. RESULTS: Since September of 2011, the quadriceps tendon has been our autograft of choice for ACL reconstruction.IndicationsContraindicationsPitfalls & Challenges.