How does the revascularization process of the bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft progress at 6 and 12 months after ACL reconstruction?
Revascularization of ACL bone-patellar tendon-bone autografts occurs faster in the intra-articular site compared to intraosseous sites over the first postoperative year.
Revascularization of the graft occurs gradually along its length, with the intra-articular site being the first and the faster part to complete this phase, while both the intraosseous sites are still in progress throughout the first postoperative year. Revascularization is an important link at the intrinsic healing chain of the ACL graft. The surrounding microenvironment does seem to play a significant role in this process, and the differences in its composition along the graft course are reflected at the revascularization progress of the corresponding sites.
Ntoulia et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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