New ACL surgery combo aims to cut Re-Tear rate in young athletes

NCT ID NCT03935750

Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests two different tendon grafts (kneecap tendon vs. quadriceps tendon) for ACL reconstruction, with or without an extra stabilizing procedure called lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET). The goal is to see which approach best prevents graft failure in 1,272 young, active people aged 14-25 who are at high risk of re-injury. Participants are randomly assigned to one of four surgery combinations and followed for at least two years.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with bone-patellar-tendon-bone or quadriceps tendon autograft, with or without lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could establish a standard surgical approach that lowers the chance of ACL graft failure and re-injury in young, active people.
What could go wrong: This is a surgical technique study, not a drug trial. Results may not apply to all patients, and adding LET could increase the risk of arthritis in the outer knee.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries Joint Instability joint laxity, familial

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION JOINT INSTABILITY

Contacts and locations

Locations

Aarhus University Hospital

Aarhus, Denmark
Banff Sport Medicine Clinic

Banff, Alberta, T1L 1B3, Canada
Cologne-Merheim Medical Center, Klinik für Orthopädie, Unfallchirurgie und Sporttraumatologie

Cologne, 51109, Germany
Dublin City University / UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic

Dublin, Dublin 9, D09 C523, Ireland
Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic

London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
Fraser Health Authority

New Westminster, British Columbia, V3L 5P5, Canada
Hospital for Special Surgery

New York, New York, 10021, United States
Mayo Clinic

Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States
McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario, L8N 3Z5, Canada
Med Center Health

Bowling Green, Kentucky, 42101, United States
North Bristol Trust

Bristol, BS10 5NB, United Kingdom
Nova Scotia Health Authority

Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3A6, Canada
Ochsner Clinic Foundation

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70836, United States
Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute

Orlando, Florida, 32806, United States
Oslo University Hospital

Oslo, 0372, Norway
Pan Am Clinic

Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3M 3E4, Canada
St. Michael's Hospital

Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1W8, Canada
Stanford University

Redwood City, California, 94063, United States
Stockholm South Hospital, Karolinska Institutet

Stockholm, 922M+CC, Sweden
The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia

Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903, United States
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust

Coventry, CV2 2DX, United Kingdom
University Klinik Münster

Münster, 48149, Germany
University of Calgary Sport Medicine Centre

Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
University of California, San Francisco

San Francisco, California, 94158, United States
University of Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky, 40504, United States
University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, United States
University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131, United States
University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada
University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15260, United States
Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27101, United States

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