Adolescent differences in knee stability following computer-assisted anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Abstract

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="section"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span>Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery is being increasingly performed in the adolescent population. Computer navigation offers a reliable way to quantitatively measure knee stability during ACL reconstruction. A retrospective review of all adolescent patients (&lt;18 years old) who underwent computer-assisted primary single bundle ACL reconstruction by a single surgeon from 2007 to 2012 was performed. The average age was 15.8 years (SD 3.3). Female adolescents were found to have higher internal rotation than male adolescents both pre- (25.6° </span><em>vs </em><span>21.7°, P=0.026) and post-reconstruction (20.1° </span><em>vs </em><span>15.1°, P=0.005). Compared to adults, adolescents demonstrated significantly higher internal rotation both pre- (23.3° </span><em>vs </em><span>21.5°, P=0.047) and post-reconstruction (17.1° </span><em>vs </em><span>14.4°, P=0.003). They also had higher total rotation both pre- (40.9° </span><em>vs </em><span>38.4°, P=0.02) and post-reconstruction when compared to adults (31.56° </span><em>vs </em><span>28.67°, P=0.005). In adolescent patients, anterior translation was corrected more than rotation. Females had higher pre- and residual post-reconstruction internal rotation compared to males. When compared to adults, adolescents had increased internal rotation and total rotation both pre- and post-reconstruction. </span></p></div></div></div></div>