An unusual intrinsic complication of a patellar tendon allograft and recommendations for tissue banking.

Complications of patellar-tendon allograft for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in ACL-deficient patients have focused on disease transmission, strength, survivorship, technique, and processing to decrease antigenicity. Little has been described in regard to intrinsic complications of patellar-tendon allograft. This article discusses our experience with a damaged patellar-tendon allograft that was abnormally long and had a large osseous intratendinous mass. Based on this experience, we make recommendations on evaluating and procuring patellar-tendon allografts that will help orthopaedic surgeons avoid intrinsic patellar-tendon allograft complications.