ACL surgery soon.

[Gav1]

Hi.

I have done a search prior to typing this, but thought I would just check if there was any new advice regarding ACL reconstruction.

I will be going through with this in the next week or two and the surgeon advised Patella or Hamstring graft. He did mention about donor grafts, but said he favoured the other two methods. I first ruptured it 19 years ago, but no amount of training helps stabilise it during everyday tasks. I've no problem squatting or deadlifting with it, but twist it out multiple times per week from normal things.

I’ve decided to go with the Hamstring graft as I am a builder and I’m on my knees quite often. He also recommended the Hamstring graft and told me that it will recover almost 100% if I don’t overdo it in the short term, but strengthen it properly long term.
I notice Rip stated to have the Allograft on a post in 2011, just wondered if he still thought the same.

How long should I be waiting before getting back to training.

Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I happen to be using my hamstrings right now, so if it was my knee I would not let the surgeon fuck one of them up for me. Since it's my hamstring. I would use the allograft, and if this particular surgeon wasn't "comfortable" (he's inexperienced) with it, hire another surgeon. There are others.

Oh, but I now notice you're in the UK. So it's not really your decision to make. So it's not really your knee. Sorry. Good luck.

[Browndog]

OP,

NHS issues aside, go with the allograft if at all possible.

Back in the dark ages, I had my knee reconstructed with my hamstring tendon. I regret not using an allograft for the replacement every day.

[Mark Rippetoe]

And you only have one wound to heal, not two.

[Gav1]

Haha.

I have private health care, so i can decide which route to take. He mentioned the 3 different methods, but was a bit vague on the Allograft, he only said that it isn't as successful as the other two. I went with what he's advised as he's one of the top knee surgeons in the UK, I can change my mind though. I'm just trying to get this figured out as quickly as I can.

I thought I'd made the right choice as Bleve (in 2011) said he had the Hamstring graft and there was no Hamstring weakness after 12 months.

What are the main reasons for the Allograft? Will it last longer? Is it stronger? The one thing I was told by another surgeon is that Virus transmission can occur with Allografts and that turned me off it straight away.

Am I right in saying your repair only lasted 4 years? How did you manage to rupture the graft?

Browndog, When did you have your surgery? What negatives have you found with the Hamstring graft?

I'm going to start reading up on this now and speak to the surgeon before going ahead with surgery.

Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I ruptured the graft during soccer and the horse business, not the allograft's fault. As I explained, an allograft only involves one wound to heal instead of two, and it leaves your hamstring tendon intact. Look up the virus transmission rate for allograft surgery, and if that scares you let him chop up your hamstring.

[Gav1]

I'm looking through the list of surgeons I can choose from now.

I'm guessing you'd knock this one on the head if he leans more towards the Autograft then?

When you say "chop up your Hamstring", he said he would take a single strand and fold it four times. Is this the same technique as what they do in the states?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Mine was an autograft, in 1994 before a modern allograft was available. I'll try to make myself more clear this time: I SEE NO POINT IN HAVING BOTH A GRAFT SITE AND A HARVEST SITE TO HEAL WHEN OTHER OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE.

[Gav1]

Mine was an autograft, in 1994 before a modern allograft was available. I'll try to make myself more clear this time: I SEE NO POINT IN HAVING BOTH A GRAFT SITE AND A HARVEST SITE TO HEAL WHEN OTHER OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE.

I've now got it.

Cheers Rip.

[Browndog]

Gav1,

I had my surgery performed in the early '90s, sorry I can't be more exact.

As to the negatives, I've lost the ability to draw my heel up to my rear end, which makes sprinting a bit problematic...not that I'm sprinting much any more. But back then, yes I was.

I also feel that the loss of the semi tedonosis has effected my squat, as I get onto my right side at max weights. Add to that, there is a noticable size difference between my right (intact) and left thigh.

I opted for the hamstring harvest approach, as I was prone to patellar tendonosis, which ruled out using the patellar tendon. And, at the time, the allograft scared me due to the same concerns you had regarding viruses. Back then, I was not as "informed/aware" as I am today. The orthopod argued against the allograft. Who was I to disagree? I'm a better consumer of healthcare today, due to that surgery.

Hope you come to a resolution that serves your purposes.