Types of Grafts
Two alternative sources of replacement material for ACL reconstruction are commonly utilized:
- Autografts (employing bone or tissue harvested from the patient's body), and
- Allografts (using bone or tissue from a donor's body, typically a cadaver's).
Since the tissue is one's own in an autograft the probability of rejection (sans infection) is minimal.
Sterilization and redundant donor screening process make allografts a generally safe choice for patients; however, risks remain. Irradiation of donor content to remove infectious agents potentially weakens the selected tendon, although for ACL surgery the weakened tendon is generally as strong as the replaced ligament. Infection may also require removal of the graft.
- Synthetic tissue tissue suitable to ACL reconstruction has also been developed. Little data exists on its strength or reliability.
Read more about this topic: Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
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