An interventional study of Osteoconductive scaffold-hamstring tendon composite repair and Hamstring tendon-only repair in ACL - Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture, ACL and ACL Injury, sponsored by Sandro Fucentese. Completed at 1 site in Switzerland. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-07.
Sponsored by Sandro Fucentese · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Primary objective of the study is to evaluate efficacy of the surgical technique for ACL reconstruction using an osteoconductive scaffold, enlaced into the hamstring tendon autograft, compared to the traditional technique.
Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) using autograft tissue is currently recommended as the standard of care following an ACL tear or rupture, with the bone-tendon-bone (BTB) graft and hamstring tendon graft the most common. Although a BTB autograft is widely recognized to offer high mechanical performance and rapid graft healing, these advantages come at the cost of a longer surgery time and higher risk of severe patient discomfort at the graft harvest site. Use of a hamstring tendon autograft is less painful, but is generally slower to heal with higher risk of mechanical graft failure due to poor bone ingrowth. The aim of the current study is to augment graft-to-bone incorporation by use of an osteoconductive scaffold enlaced into the hamstring tendon autograft. This bovine derived composite bone substitute is inserted into the articular aperture of the femoral bone tunnel and should provide an osteoconductive / osteoinductive environment at a biomimetic attachment site leading to improved secondary graft-fixation and a reduced incidence of tunnel widening.
Primary objective of the study is to evaluate efficacy of the surgical technique for ACL reconstruction using an osteoconductive scaffold, enlaced into the hamstring tendon autograft, compared to the traditional technique.
Secondary objectives aim to assess the clinical outcome of the interventional treatment including patient subjective knee function and objective measures of knee stability.
Exclusion Criteria:
ACL-reconstruction using hamstring autograft with hybrid fixation in accordance with in-house standard of care.
Device: Hamstring tendon-only repair
ACL-reconstruction using hamstring autograft with hybrid fixation combined with the osteoconductive device under study.
Device: Osteoconductive scaffold-hamstring tendon composite repair
The device under study is a composite bone substitute composed of a natural mineral matrix of bovine origin, reinforced with biodegradable synthetic polymers and natural collagen derivatives of bovine origin (smartbone, IBI S.A., Switzerland).
ACL-reconstruction using hamstring autograft with hybrid fixation in accordance with in-house standard of care.
Bone tunnel volume
CT based relative change of the femoral bone tunnel volume from baseline to follow-up 1 and 2.
Time frame: 0, 4.5, 12 months post surgery
IKDC Subjective Knee Evaluation Form
International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Evaluation Form is designed to detect improvement or deterioration in symptoms, function and sports activities due to knee impairment for patients with a variety of knee conditions including ligament injuries. It is a patient-completed questionnaire available in multiple languages including German with an ordinal scoring system ranging from 0 (highest level of symptoms or lowest level of function) to 100 (no limitation with daily or sporting activities and the absence of symptoms).
Time frame: 0 and 42 days, 6 months, 1, 2 and 5 years post surgery
Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale
To evaluate outcomes of knee ligament surgery, particularly symptoms of instability. It has an ordinal scoring system ranging from 0 to 100 (No symptoms or disability). A validated German version will be used.
Time frame: 0 and 42 days, 6 months, 1, 2 and 5 years post surgery
Tegner Activity Scale
The Tegner activity scale (TAS) is used to measure the change in physical activity from pre-injury to follow-up. Patient's activity is scored on a scale with 11 levels from level 0 (on sick leave/disability) to level 10 (participation in competitive sports such as soccer at a national or international elite level). Evaluated will be the difference in score from pre-injury (assessed at baseline visit) to follow-up.
Time frame: 0 and 42 days, 6 months, 1, 2 and 5 years post surgery
KT-1000 Arthrometer Test
The KT-1000 Arthrometer Test measures anterior displacement of the tibial plateau on the femur at a specific force. Its output variable is defined as the difference in full millimeters between the tibial displacement of the ACL reconstructed knee and the normal contralateral side.
Time frame: 0 and 42 days, 6 months, 1, 2 and 5 years post surgery
Lachmann Test
The Lachman test measures anterior displacement conducted manually by the clinician. It is graded as the difference from the normal contralateral side as 0 (\<3 mm), 1 (3 to 5 mm), or 2 (\>5 mm).
Time frame: 0 and 42 days, 6 months, 1, 2 and 5 years post surgery
Pivot shift test
The pivot shift test assesses the combined tibio-femoral rotation and anterior tibial translation. The pathologic motion elicited is graded as a glide (grade 1), clunk (grade 2), or gross clunk with locking (grade 3). A normal finding is graded as zero. The outcome measure is calculated from the difference between affected (repaired) and intact knee.
Time frame: 0 and 42 days, 6 months, 1, 2 and 5 years post surgery
Bone tunnel width
Bone tunnel width will additionally be assessed on plain radiograph. Standard posteroanterior radiographs of the knee in full extension will be used. Bone tunnel width will be assessed at the widest part of the femoral bone tunnel. Assessed will be the relative change in femoral bone tunnel width.
Time frame: 0 and 42 days, 12 and 24 months post surgery
Osteoconductive scaffold-bone integration
For a quantitative analysis of Osteoconductive scaffold (OCS)-bone integration, the mineral density profile along a predefined line will be examined. A slice showing the central portion of the OCS in the axial plane will be selected. A straight line of 2 cm length will be drawn perpendicular to the long axis of the OCS using image analysis software (Mimics). The CT-values along this line will be recorded and evaluated in the following way. Since the CT-values change according to the bone mineral density, the profile along the line will have a minimum at the interface of the tunnel wall and the OCS and a maximum on the OCS. The difference in Hounsfield units from the cancellous bone in the tunnel wall and the OCS-bone interface will be used as a measure for the degree of osseous integration of the implant.
Time frame: day 0, 4.5 and 12 months post surgery
Patient safety
Any occurrence of intra-operative complications will be recorded on the case report forms. Post-operative (serious) adverse events will be recorded at each follow-up visit.
Time frame: 0 and 42 days, 6 months, 1, 2 and 5 years post surgery
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