Managing Perioperative Extensor Mechanism Injuries and the Patellar Defect After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are a common and potentially devastating injury for an athlete. ACL reconstruction is a safe, highly effective procedure that has been shown to result in excellent clinical and functional outcomes, but complications still do arise. Although extremely unusual, perioperative extensor mechanism injuries after ACL reconstruction are a serious and potentially complex complication. An overview of some of the technical aspects of managing the extensor mechanism in ACL reconstructions, types of injuries and their management, as well as a comprehensive review of the literature on the management of the patellar defect following ACL reconstruction with bone-patellar-tendon-bone autograft is explored.