Graft Type and Outcomes After ACL Reconstruction in Female Athletes (LCA-WOMEN)

July 19, 2026 updated by: Luis Gutiérrez Sánchez, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia

Influence of Graft Type on Functional and Neuromuscular Outcomes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Female Athletes: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study

This prospective multicenter cohort study aims to compare clinical and functional outcomes between hamstring tendon and quadriceps tendon autografts in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in female athletes. Participants will be followed for two years after surgery to evaluate graft failure rates, return to sport, knee stability, and patient-reported outcomes.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are particularly prevalent in female athletes and represent a major challenge in sports medicine. The choice of graft type in ACL reconstruction may influence clinical outcomes, yet evidence specifically in female populations remains limited. This study prospectively enrolls female athletes undergoing ACL reconstruction with either hamstring tendon or quadriceps tendon autograft across multiple centers in Spain. Primary outcome is graft failure rate at 24 months. Secondary outcomes include return to sport rate, IKDC score, KOOS, Lysholm scale, limb symmetry index, and re-injury rate. Data will be collected preoperatively and at 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
82

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Female athletes aged 16 to 35 years undergoing primary ACL reconstruction with either hamstring tendon or quadriceps tendon autograft across multiple sports medicine centers in Spain.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female patients aged 16 to 35 years with skeletal maturity
  • Active athlete: minimum two training sessions per week during the six months prior to injury in pivoting sports
  • Confirmed complete ACL rupture by MRI and clinical examination
  • Primary ACL reconstruction (first ligament surgery on the index knee)
  • Time from injury to surgery no longer than 6 months
  • Signed informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Previous ligament surgery on either knee
  • Multiligament injury: simultaneous PCL, grade III MCL or LCL injury
  • Neuromuscular, rheumatological or systemic pathology interfering with rehabilitation or functional assessments
  • Pre-existing radiological osteoarthritis grade Kellgren-Lawrence ≥2 in the index knee
  • Inability to complete 24-month follow-up protocol
  • Pregnancy at inclusion or during follow-up period

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Hamstring tendon autograft
Female athletes undergoing ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendon autograft
Procedure: Hamstring tendon autograft ACL reconstruction
ACL reconstruction using ipsilateral hamstring tendon autograft (semitendinosus and gracilis tendons) with arthroscopic technique
Quadriceps tendon autograft
Female athletes undergoing ACL reconstruction with quadriceps tendon autograft
Procedure: Quadriceps tendon autograft ACL reconstruction
ACL reconstruction using ipsilateral quadriceps tendon autograft with arthroscopic technique

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Graft failure rate
Time Frame: 24 months after surgery
Proportion of patients requiring revision ACL reconstruction or presenting with objetive graft rupture confirmed by MRI or arthroscopy
24 months after surgery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
return to sport rate
Time Frame: 12 and 24 months after surgery
proportion of athletes who returned to their pre-injury sport level, assessed by athlete and surgeon
12 and 24 months after surgery
IKDC Subjective knee Evaluation Form
Time Frame: 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery
Patient-reported outcomes measure assessing knee symptoms, function and sports activity.
6, 12 and 24 months after surgery
KOOS (Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis outcome Score)
Time Frame: 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery
Patient-reported outcome measure assessing pain, symptoms, function in daily living, function in sport and recreation, and knee-related quality of life
6, 12 and 24 months after surgery
Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale
Time Frame: 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery
Clinician-reported outcome measure assessing knee function including pain, instability, locking, swelling, stair climbing, squatting and limp
6, 12 and 24 months after surgery
Limb Symetry Index (LSI)
Time Frame: 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery
Assessed vy isokinetic dynamometry and single-leg hop tests to evaluate quadriceps and hamstring strength symmetry between limbs
6, 12 and 24 months after surgery
Re-injury rate
Time Frame: 24 months after surgery
Proportion of patients sustaining a new ipsilateral or contralateral ACL injury during the follow-up period.
24 months after surgery

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 19, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 19, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 23, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 23, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 19, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IMED-LCA-HT-QT-2026
  • CE042605 (Other Identifier: Comite de Etica de la UCAM)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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