Transphyseal anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in patients with open physes.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of transphyseal anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in patients with open physes.

METHODS

Transphyseal ACL reconstruction was performed in 26 patients with open tibial and femoral physes (physis >2 mm) by use of autogenous quadrupled hamstrings as grafts. Meniscal tearing was found in 65.3% of the patients. Partial chondral defect injury on the medial femoral condyle was found 6 months after injury in only 2 patients (7.69% of all patients). The mean follow-up period was 45 +/- 18.3 months. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by use of the International Knee Documentation Committee score and Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale, and the anteroposterior stability was objectively measured by use of KT-1000 arthrometer (MEDmetric, San Diego, CA). Possible length and angular discrepancies were observed by conventional radiography in a long film and scanograms of the lower limbs.

RESULTS

The mean length discrepancy between the operated lower limb and the contralateral limb was 1.2 +/- 3.2 mm (range, -7 to 7 mm). The mean angular deviation difference between the lower limbs was 0.46 degrees +/- 1.1 degrees . New traumatic injuries developed in 3 patients, in whom surgical revision was performed; 1 patient underwent a late meniscectomy. The mean difference in KT-1000 measurement was 2.0 +/- 1.0 mm. The mean subjective International Knee Documentation Committee score was 91.5 +/- 5.7, and the mean score on the modified Lysholm scale was 93.5 +/- 4. Of the patients, 3 (11.2% of all patients) could not return to the same level of physical activity as before injury.

CONCLUSIONS

ACL reconstruction by use of the transphyseal technique in an immature skeleton with a hamstring autograft, with careful attention being paid to the technique, resulted in good clinical outcomes and no growth abnormalities.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic case series.