Hamstring, bone-patellar tendon-bone, quadriceps and peroneus longus tendon autografts for primary isolated posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION: Several autografts are available to reconstruct the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). SOURCE OF DATA: Current scientific literature published in PubMed, Google scholar, Embase and Scopus. AREAS OF AGREEMENT: Hamstring, bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB), quadriceps and peroneus longus (PLT) are the most common tendon autografts used for primary isolated PCL reconstruction. AREAS OF CONTROVERSY: The optimal tendon source for PCL reconstruction remains nevertheless debated. Identifying the most suitable tendon autograft could assist the surgeon during primary PCL reconstruction. GROWING POINTS: The present study compared the outcome of PCL reconstruction using hamstring, BPTB, quadriceps and PLT autografts. The focus was on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), joint laxity, range of motion and complications. AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH: All autografts are viable options for PCL reconstruction, with BTB and hamstring autografts demonstrating superior PROMs. However, further clinical investigations are required to determine the ideal autograft construct.