title: Physeal-sparing reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament tears in children: results of 57 cases using patellar tendon.
abstract: This study evaluated the results of a physeal-sparing technique of intra-articular anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in skeletally immature patients, with particular reference to growth disturbance. Between 1992 and 2007, 57 children with a mean age of 12.2 years (6.8 to 14.5) underwent ACL reconstruction using the same technique. At a mean of 5.5 years (2 to 14) after surgery, 56 patients underwent clinical and radiological evaluation. At that time, 49 patients (87.5%) had reached bony maturity and 53 (95%) achieved A or B according to the IKDC 2000 classification. Four patients had stopped participation in sports because of knee symptoms, and three patients (5.4%) had a subsequent recurrent ACL injury. There was no clinical or radiological evidence of growth disturbance after a mean growth in stature of 20.0 cm (3 to 38). This study demonstrates that ACL reconstruction sparing the physes in children is a safe technique protecting against meniscal tears and giving better results than reconstruction in adults, without causing significant growth disturbance.
authors.affiliation: F. Rabelais University CHU de Tours, Hopital G. de Clocheville, 49 bd Beranger, 37000 Tours, France. bonnard@med.uni-tours.fr
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonnard
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fournier
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Babusiaux
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Planchenault
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bergerault
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Courtivron
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D000367:Age Factors; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D001846:Bone Development; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014180:Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome