Dimensions of Quadriceps Tendon Autograft Are Variable Based on Patient Age and Graft Type: A Systematic Review

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compile graft dimensions reported in quadriceps tendon anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgical papers. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted in accordance with PRISMA and R-AMSTAR guidelines. PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Web of Science were searched from inception to June 18, 2024. All studies were searched and screened in duplicate; Cohen’s kappa was calculated at each stage. Quality assessment was conducted using MINORs for non-randomized studies and Cochrane’s RoB 2.0 for randomized studies. Descriptive statistics are presented. Results Thirty-one studies featuring 2,756 knees were included. Twenty-one papers used quadriceps tendon autograft with bone block (B-QT) and 10 used all-soft tissue quadriceps tendon autograft (S-QT). Included patients had a weighted mean age of 24.2 years and a range of 7–58 years. Of the papers featuring an adult population (average age ≥ 18 years), mean B-QT total graft length was 72.5mm (range: 50-90mm), bone block length was 18.5mm (range: 15-20mm), width was 9.9mm (range: 7-12mm), and diameter was 6.5mm (range: 5-9mm). For S-QT grafts in the adult population, the mean graft length was 78.8mm (range: 60-100mm), width was 10.6mm (range: 9-12mm), and diameter was 8.4mm (range: 5-10mm). In studies featuring a pediatric population (average age ≤ 18 years), the mean B-QT total graft length was 70.0mm (range: 60-80mm), bone block length was 16.7mm (range: 15-20mm), width was 9.7mm (range: 9-10mm), and diameter was 9mm (range: 8-10mm). For S-QT grafts in the pediatric population, the mean graft length was 64.2mm (range: 50-80mm), width was 10.0mm (range: 9-11mm), and diameter was 7.8mm (range: 5-10mm). Conclusions This review highlights the variability in graft dimensions for QT ACL-R grafts based on patient age and graft type. The paucity of consistent reporting of graft dimensions highlights the need for standardized reporting to promote the comparability of studies using QT ACL-R. Level of evidence Level IV