[Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with hamstring tendons in the young]

Regarding the controversial discussion about how and when to operate a patient with an ACL lesion and still open physes,we routinely perform ACL reconstruction in those patients. We evaluated 30 patients with a mean age of 14.2 years at the time of operation (range: 10-18) and a mean follow-up of 30.8 months (range: 13-77). The ACL reconstruction was performed using a four-strand hamstring graft. Fixation was strictly extracortical using an endobutton and a suture washer. The placement of the graft was transepiphyseal. Using the IKDC score, 86.7% were classified as normal or nearly normal. In three cases an ACL insufficiency recurred during the first 12 months postoperatively. There was no growth disturbance. Expecting a poor outcome when treating an ACL lesion conservatively during the growth period and carefully performing the operation, we were able to show that the method provided satisfactory results and should be considered an operative method of choice.