Primary All-Soft Tissue Quadriceps Tendon Autograft Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Suture Tape Augmentation Resulted in Satisfactory Patient Outcomes and a Low Graft Failure Rate in High School and Collegiate Athletes

Purpose To evaluate ≥ 2-year patient outcomes following primary all-soft tissue quadriceps tendon autograft (ASTQ) anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with suture tape augmentation (STA) in skeletally mature high school and collegiate athletes. Methods All high school and collegiate athletes who underwent primary ASQT ACLR with STA with a minimum of 2-year follow-up were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were administered validated PROMs pre- and postoperatively. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was calculated for each PROM based on this study population and applied to the individual patient. Return to sport (RTS), subsequent surgical intervention including contralateral ACLR, and KT-1000 arthrometer measurements for knee laxity were collected. Complications were assessed by physical examination, radiological studies, or obtained via telephone. Results There were a total of 60 patients included in final data analysis with a mean age of 16.8-years-old (95% CI, 16.2-17.4) and mean final follow-up of 37.1 months (95% CI, 33.1-41.1). Twelve patients (20%) necessitated subsequent surgery on the ipsilateral knee which included seven patients having a subsequent meniscal procedure and three patients underwent arthrolysis. 0% sustained a graft failure and six patients sustained a contralateral ACL injury necessitating surgery. All PROMs improved at final follow-up (p < 0.001). Additionally, KT-1000 arthrometer measurements significantly improved postoperatively at 1-year clinical follow-up (p < 0.001). A majority of patients obtained the MCID thresholds for each PROM at final follow-up. There were 48 patients (80%) who participated in pivoting sports. The RTS rate at same level was 54 patients (90%) with six patients (10%) not returning to same level due to graduation. Conclusion ASQT ACLR with STA in a young athletic patient population may result in a low graft failure rate while maintaining satisfactory patient outcomes at short-term follow-up, including a return to sport at the same level of 90%. Level of Evidence Retrospective Case Series, IV