title: Surgical options for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in the young child.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the most recent literature on the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of pediatric anterior cruciate ligament injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is an increasing prevalence of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in pediatric and adolescent athletes, and nonoperative management of these injuries results in worse outcomes than surgical reconstruction. Prevention exercise protocols are cost-effective in preventing this injury in adolescent athletes. A number of techniques are currently in practice that address anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the skeletally immature, but there is no consensus on the optimal technique.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reported clinical outcomes from anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in young patients are favorable.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Gausden
authors.forename: Jacob G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Calcei
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Fabricant
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction; D001846:Bone Development; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D020127:Recovery of Function; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome