Quadriceps Tendon Autograft in Revision ACL Reconstruction: Emerging Trends, Techniques, and Outcomes

Quadriceps tendon autografts have become an increasingly common choice in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery, valued for their large cross-sectional area, high collagen content, and comparatively low donor-site morbidity relative to bone-patellar tendon-bone and hamstring tendon grafts. While a growing literature supports QT use in primary ACL reconstruction, its role in revision surgery remains far less defined. Revision ACL reconstruction presents unique challenges that do not apply to primary cases: compromised bone stock from prior tunnels, potential need for staged bone grafting, altered biomechanics from previous graft failure, and a patient population with higher expectations and lower tolerance for a second failure.This Research Topic invites original research, systematic reviews, and technical reports that examine the use of quadriceps tendon autografts and allografts specifically in the revision setting. We welcome contributions addressing graft selection rationale in revision cases, harvest and fixation techniques adapted for revision anatomy, comparative outcomes between QT and alternative revision graft choices (hamstring, bone-patellar tendon-bone, allograft), biomechanical and imaging studies of tunnel and graft integration, rehabilitation protocols tailored to revision patients, and long-term functional and patient-reported outcomes. Studies addressing complications, failure modes, and risk factors specific to QT use in revision surgery are also encouraged, as are papers examining emerging trends such as soft-tissue quadriceps tendon harvest without a bone block, all-inside techniques, and combined procedures (e.g., lateral extra-articular tenodesis) performed alongside QT revision grafts.By consolidating current evidence and emerging techniques on this specific graft choice in this specific surgical context, this Research Topic aims to give orthopedic and sports medicine surgeons clearer, evidence-based guidance for one of the most consequential decisions in revision ACL surgery: which graft to use when the first reconstruction has already failed. Topic editors: Thiago Vivacqua, Amit Meena, Rodrigo Sattamini Pires E Albuquerque Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86689/quadriceps-tendon-autograft-in-revision-acl-reconstruction-emerging-trends-techniques-and-outcomes