ACL RECONSTRUCTION IN CHILDREN WITH OPEN PHYSES

Nine male patients with wide open physes who underwent intra-articular anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using semitendinosus and gracilis tendon grafts passed through the tibial physis and over t he top of the femoral condyles were retrospectively reviewed at an ave rage follow-up of 39 months (range: 24 to 72 months). Five patients un derwent reconstruction <6 weeks following injury (range: 11 days to 41 days); the other four underwent reconstruction 2, 3, 5, and 24 months following injury. Seven patients had excellent results and fully retu rned to their sport. Mean Lysholm score in these patients was 99 (rang e: 95 to 100), and the mean maximum KT-1000 difference (available for six patients) was 2.8 mm (range: 0 to 5.5 mm). Four of six intact graf ts had a mean maximum KT-1000 difference less than or equal to 3.5 mm. Two grafts ruptured and were considered failures tone complete ruptur e at 10 months and one partial rupture at 3 years). Postoperative heig ht increase averaged 10.7 cm (range: 4 to 22.9 cm). No patient had a c linically significant leg-length discrepancy, angular deformity, or ra diographic evidence of physeal injury.