The American Journal of Sports Medicine· 1988Q1
Anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the young athlete with open physes
- 333citations
- Q1SCImago
- 1988year
Short summary
Arthroscopic examination and reconstruction for ACL tears in athletes under 14 with open physes resulted in 100% return to sports, compared to only 44% return with conservative treatment.
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Key points
- Conservative treatment for ACL tears in young athletes (under 14, open physes) resulted in only 7 of 16 patients returning to sports, all with recurrent symptoms.
- Surgical treatment (arthroscopy with reconstruction) for 24 similar patients led to all 24 returning to sports.
- 22 of the 24 surgically treated patients were still competing at an average follow-up of 26 months.
- The study recommends arthroscopy and examination under anesthesia for young athletes with ACL tears to guide treatment decisions.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
From 1980 to 1985, 40 patients under the age of 14 with open physes were treated for midsubstance tears of the ACL at the Methodist Sports Medicine Center. In this series, 16 were treated conservatively with rehabilitation, bracing, and counseling on activity modification. The remaining 24 patients underwent arthroscopic examination and either an extraarticular or intraarticular reconstruction based on growth potential. The average followup was 27 months for the conservative group and 26 months for the surgical group. In the conservative group, six patients underwent arthroscopy for meniscal tears, four medial and two lateral. Only seven patients returned to sports, all experiencing recurrent episodes of giving way, effusions, and pain. In the surgical group, 12 medial and 6 lateral meniscal tears were found at arthroscopy. There were 10 extraarticular reconstructions and 14 intraarticular reconstructions. All 24 returned to sports activity, and 22 of the 24 are still competing. The two remaining patients both suffered reinjury 3 years after their surgery. We recommend arthroscopy and examination under anesthesia for the young patient with ACL tears. Based on the amount of instability, presence or absence of meniscal tears, and athletic desires of the patient and his or her family, a treatment plan can be undertaken.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 1988 · DOI ↗
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Field: Surgery
SurgeryMedicine