Using living donor hamstring tendons for ACL reconstruction in children

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This study focuses on reconstructing the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in children aged 8 to 17 years who have suffered a rupture. It employs a novel technique where hamstring tendons are harvested from a living donor, typically a parent, and then implanted into the child. The study aims to address the challenges of using traditional grafts in skeletally immature patients, who often have smaller tendons. By utilizing living donor tendons, the researchers hope to improve outcomes and reduce the rerupture rates associated with allografts from deceased donors.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients aged 8 to 17 years inclusive and have a clinically and radiologically confirmed ACL rupture that requires reconstruction.
* Patients who have had previous surgery for meniscal pathology .
* Patients with current meniscal pathology
* The child and their responsible adult are in agreement with the choice to undergo anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using living donor allograft.
* Donors has not previously undergone tendon harvest on the chosen donor limb
* Patients are willing to attend follow up appointments and agree to fill in knee questionnaires and allow instrumented knee ligament testing.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients who have previously undergone ACL surgery on the same limb (and therefore require revision surgery)
* Patients who are immunosuppressed, or receiving immunosuppressive therapy
* Patients who are unable to attend follow-up appointments for continued research purposes.
* Donors who have previously undergone hamstring tendon surgery on the donor limb
* Patients and donors who have a positive screening blood test for any of the transmissible infections tested
* Donors whose answers to the 'Donor Documentation Questionnaire' indicate that there could be a risk of transmissible infection, may not included
* Donors who are not considered healthy enough to undergo a tenotomy under General anaesthetic

Where it's running

• Trauma & Orthopaedic Dept, Tunbridge Wells Hospital
  Pembury, Kent, United Kingdom Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Nicholas Bowman — Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
• Study coordinator: Helen Sankey, MSc
• Email: h.sankey@nhs.net
• Phone: 01892 635488

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

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• Evaluating ACL injury and re-rupture rates after surgery

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.