The risk in the past had only been about 1%. However a study from Australia in 2012 showed that soaking the graft in Vancomycin, an antibiotic, during surgery eliminated all post-operative infections
In a controlled study of 1135 patients. Group 1 did not have their grafts soaked and 1% developed infections after surgery. Group 2 had their graft soaked and none developed infections. I began using this technique a few years ago after reading that paper. My prior infection rate had also been about 1% as it is with most surgeons (although all were treated successfully), and while I still tell patients that this risk exists, I have not had a patient develop a knee infection since that time. Now a new follow-up longer study with even more patients has similarly shown no infections developing in 1300 consecutive ACL patients.. The hamstring graft is the strongest ACL graft with the overall lowest complication rate and I use if for all my patients. It is gratifying that even the minimal risk of infection can apparently be eliminated by taking this simple step.
