Therapeutic Strategies and Clinical Outcomes of Infections Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Narrative Review.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is a widely performed orthopedic procedure, yet postoperative infection, although rare, poses a significant threat to graft integrity and long-term joint function. This review specifically focuses on therapeutic strategies for ACLR-associated infections. Management strategies constitute the core of this review, centering on early surgical debridement, targeted antimicrobial therapy, and, in selected cases, graft retention or removal. Preventive and rehabilitative measures such as graft presoaking with vancomycin, strict intraoperative asepsis, and structured postoperative rehabilitation are also discussed. Long-term functional outcomes are often suboptimal, emphasizing the importance of timely rehabilitation and individualized care. Rather than providing an exhaustive diagnostic review, we highlight therapeutic decision-making and evidence-based treatment pathways, supplemented by stratified comparisons of prospective and retrospective clinical studies. Ongoing research into biofilm-targeting therapies is essential to optimize treatment protocols and minimize infection-related complications.