What graft was used for the ACL reconstruction?

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Graft choice for ACL reconstruction depends on sourcing tissue: autograft (your own tissue) or allograft (donor tissue). Autografts like patellar tendon or hamstring tendon are popular in younger, highly active patients because they heal well and have solid long-term outcomes, but harvesting them causes a second surgical site and potential donor-site weakness. Allografts avoid that harvesting step and often come in larger diameters, which can be advantageous when a bigger graft is desirable or when a prior autograft has failed.

Achilles tendon allograft, in particular, provides a long, robust graft and can come with a bone block for secure bone-to-bone fixation, which can be helpful in ACL reconstruction. It is commonly used in revision ACL procedures or in patients where a large-diameter graft is beneficial and donor tissue is limited or undesirable.

So, selecting an Achilles tendon allograft aligns with goals of minimizing additional surgical sites while ensuring a strong, suitably sized graft for the reconstruction, which is why that option fits this scenario.