Graft choices for anterolateral ligament knee reconstruction surgery: Current concepts

Abstract

The anterolateral ligament (ALL) is a primary structure of the anterolateral complex of the knee that contributes to internal rotational stability of the joint. Injury of the ALL is commonly associated with rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. If left untreated, ALL lesions may lead to residual anterolateral rotational instability of the knee after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, which is a common cause of anterior cruciate ligament graft failure. The function of the ALL can be restored by lateral extraarticular tenodesis or anterolateral ligament reconstruction (ALLR). In the lateral extraarticular tenodesis procedure, a strip of the iliotibial band is placed in a non-anatomical position to restrain the internal rotation of the tibia, while in ALLR, a free graft is fixed at the insertion points of the native ALL. Gracilis and semitendinosus grafts have mainly been utilized for ALLR, but other autografts have also been suggested. Furthermore, allografts and synthetic grafts have been applied to minimize donor-site morbidity and maximize the size and strength of the graft. Nevertheless, there has been no strong evidence to fully support one method over another thus far. The present review presents a detailed description of the graft choices for ALLR and the current literature available in regard to the effectiveness and outcomes of published surgical techniques.