A biomechanical analysis of four different methods of harvesting bone-patellar tendon-bone graft in porcine knees.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with use of bone-patellar tendon-bone graft is commonly performed to treat functional instability of the knee after injury of the anterior cruciate ligament. Patellar fracture is an underreported complication of this procedure, yet it may be a career-ending injury for a professional athlete. The purpose of this study was to design a new technique to procure the patellar bone plug when reconstructing the cruciate ligament with use of patellar tendon.