Loss of Knee Extension Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Quadriceps Tendon Autograft

Eleven percent of patients undergoing QT autograft ACLR experienced a loss of >5° knee extension compared with the contralateral knee or required additional surgery to restore extension. QT autograft diameter and notch volume were not associated with postoperative loss of extension among patients who underwent primary QT autograft ACLR. The inability to achieve terminal extension (0°) at the initial preoperative presentation increased the risk of postoperative loss of extension by 2.23-fold. Surgeons may consider the lack of terminal extension preoperatively as a risk factor for postoperative loss of extension following QT autograft ACLR rather than increased QT autograft diameter or decreased notch volume.