Nuccio Caringella

Dr. Nuccio Caringella

University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Puglia, Italy

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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12 November 2022 in Journal of Clinical Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
LMLorenzo Moretti
Lorenzo Moretti
Davide BizzocaDavide Bizzoca
Davide Bizzoca
GCGiuseppe Danilo Cassano
Giuseppe Danilo Cassano
NCNuccio Caringella
Nuccio Caringella
MDMichelangelo Delmedico
Michelangelo Delmedico
BMBiagio Moretti
Biagio Moretti
The knee is one of the most frequently affected joints in sports trauma, and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and meniscal tears are the most common lesions. ACL reconstruction (ACLR) remains the treatment of choice for patients willing to return to their previous activity. There are different surgical techniques and different possible usable grafts. The graft used for ACLR surgery undergoes a bone incorporation process and an intra-articular remodelling named ligamentization until it reaches characteristics similar to the native ligament. After the first incorporation stage, the remodelling process is divided into an early stage that could last 4 weeks, a proliferative stage that lasts 4 to 12 weeks, and a final stage of ligamentization that could last over 1 year. The period of return to sport (RTS) after ACLR, which is becoming shorter and shorter, can be a high-risk period for athletes due to the risk of graft failure. This systematic review aims to define the phases of the ligamentization process considering graft type and fixation techniques, as well as the graft’s anatomopathological and biomechanical characteristics, to evaluate a criterion-based rehab progression and maximize patient outcomes for an RTS respecting graft biology. The rehabilitative program has to promote and optimize the graft remodelling and incorporation processes; moreover, it has to accommodate physiological graft healing and avoid overloading. An early RTS and noncompliance with the biological characteristics of the graft in the various phases are associated with a high incidence of re-injury.