Analysis of biomechanical properties of patellar ligament graft and quadruple hamstring tendon graft

IntroductionTwo types of transplant are commonly used in the surgical management of anterior cruciate ligament lesions: the central part of the patellar ligament and quadruple tendons of the gracilis muscle and semitendinosus muscle.AimsThe aim of this study was to determine the biomechanical characteristics of patellar ligament transplants and transplants of the quadruple tendons of the hamstring muscles under tensile force in the laboratory, and to compare the results in each group of samples.Materials and methodsThe study comprised 160 specimens: 40 specimens of gracilis muscle tendons, 40 of semitendinosus muscle tendons, 40 of quadruple tendons and 40 of the patellar ligament, approximately equally distributed according to sex, age (50–70 years) and the side of the body from which the specimen had been taken.ResultsThe working curve analysis of the specimens under tensile load of a maximum force of 30 N showed the least elongation (0.31%) in the quadruple tendon, followed by the gracilis muscle tendon (1.48%) and patellar ligament tendon (3.91%).ConclusionsThe quadruple tendon specimen showed greater strength and higher elasticity compared with the patellar ligament specimen, which proved the starting hypothesis.