Complications associated with the techniques for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in patients under 18 years old: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE

Determine the complications related to the different techniques for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in patients under 18 years old.

METHODOLOGY

Systematic review using the databases Medline, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Embase (until July 2016), additional studies were included conducting a search of the references of previous studies. The terms included in the search were: «cruciate», «ligament», «anterior», «immature», «complications», «outcome», «acl reconstruction»,« cruciate ligament anterior reconstruction», «children», «child», «infants», «adolescent», «open physis», «growth plate» and «skeletally immature».

RESULTS

A number of 73 studies were included; 1300 patients in total, average age 13 years, 70% were male, medial and lateral meniscal lesions in 26% and 30% respectively. Eleven cases of length discrepancy (0,8%): 4 cases were presented with physeal-sparing techniques (1,4%), 3 cases with partial physeal-sparing techniques (2.2%) and 4 cases were presented with transphyseal techniques (0.4%). There were 22 cases of axis deviation: 6 cases with physeal-sparing techniques (2%), 3 cases with partial physeal-sparing techniques and 13 cases with transphyseal techniques (1.4%). The use of allograft achilles tendon allograft and fascia lata was associated with increased length discrepancy and axis deviation (25%). There was no difference according to Tanner.

CONCLUSIONS

The different anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction techniques in patients under 18 years old had low complications related to lower limb growth, arthrofibrosis and review. There was a higher percentage of cases of length discrepancy and axis deviation with physeal-sparing techniques than with the other surgical techniques. The evidence level studies cannot determine causality.