Episode 172: ACL 2.0: Playbook for Reducing Retear Risk
Live from the Arthrex Team Physician Controversies Conference
In this episode of The Sports Docs Podcast, Dr. Ashley Bassett and Dr. Catherine Logan sit down LIVE from the Arthrex Team Physician Controversies with two leading ACL experts—Dr. Pat Smith and Dr. Aaron Krych—to discuss strategies to reduce failure after ACL reconstruction.
The conversation highlights the evolution of ACL surgery, focusing on graft selection, fixation, biologic augmentation, and mechanical protection, with an emphasis on optimizing outcomes in young, high-risk athletes.
Graft: Autograft vs Allograft
Strong evidence shows higher failure rates with allograft in young athletes
MOON data: ~4–6x increased risk of failure in patients <25 years
Allograft best for:
Older, lower-demand patients
Revision or multi-ligament cases
Autograft Selection
Graft choice depends on:
Age, sex, sport, and anatomy
BTB:
Preferred for high-level pivoting athletes
Strong fixation, less graft elongation
Quadriceps tendon:
Increasingly utilized
Larger graft diameter
Less donor-site morbidity vs BTB
Particularly useful in younger and female athletes
Key insight:
Grafts <8 mm are associated with higher failure risk
Internal Brace (IB)
Indications:
Young athletes
Hyperlax patients
Revision ACL
Benefits:
Decreased graft elongation and cyclic displacement
Reduced postoperative laxity
Lower rerupture rates (~1% at 5 years in some studies)
Faster return to sport and improved rehab confidence
Lateral Extra-Articular Tenodesis (LET)
Strong evidence supports reduced failure rates:
Primary ACLR: ~11% → 4% (high-risk patients)
Revision ACLR: ~21% → 5%
Benefits:
Decreased pivot shift
Improved return to pre-injury sport
Cost-effective in high-risk populations
Indications for LET
Age ≤25 years
High-grade pivot shift
Knee hyperextension
Return to cutting/pivoting sports
Revision ACL reconstruction
LET Surgical Technique Pearls
IT band graft (7–8 cm x 1 cm)
Passed under or near LCL depending on technique
Fixation near lateral epicondyle
Pearls:
Fix in neutral rotation and ~30–60° flexion
Avoid overconstraint
Close IT band defect
Featured Guests
Dr. Pat Smith – Hospital for Special Surgery Naples
Dr. Aaron Krych – Mayo Clinic, Team Physician for the Minnesota Timberwolves
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Our Hosts:
Catherine Logan, MD, MBA
https://www.cloganmd.com/
Ashley Bassett, MD
https://orthopedicnj.com/physicians/ashley-bassett
