Which fixation method best heals a reconstructed ACL?
NCT ID NCT07753707
First seen Aug 07, 2026 · Last updated Aug 07, 2026
Summary
This trial compares three methods of securing a new anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft to the shinbone during knee reconstruction surgery. Adults with a complete ACL tear who receive a hamstring tendon graft will be randomly assigned to one of the fixation techniques. The study uses imaging and knee function scores to see which method leads to better bone-to-graft healing, graft maturation, and overall knee stability.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Three tibial fixation methods for ACL reconstruction: a bioabsorbable interference screw sized to the tunnel, a screw one millimeter larger, and a screw plus a cortical button.
- What this could lead to
- If one fixation method proves superior, it could refine ACL surgery to improve graft healing and knee stability, potentially reducing re-rupture rates.
- What could go wrong
- This is a single trial with a modest sample size, and results may not apply to all patients. Differences between methods might be small, and long-term outcomes beyond one year are not assessed.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 111 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jan 2023
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 55 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria Age ≥18 years. Complete ACL rupture treated with arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using autologous hamstring tendons. Exclusion Criteria Age ≥55 years. Patients treated with allografts, bone-patellar tendon-bone grafts, or quadriceps tendon grafts. Malpositioned tunnels (evaluated by MRI at 6 months postop). Previous knee surgery. Femoral or tibial deformities. Multiligament injuries. Note: Soft tissue procedures (e.g., meniscal repair) are not exclusion criteria.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Hospital Universitario Dexeus
Barcelona, BARCELONA, 08028, Spain
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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