Combining Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Lateral Extra-Articular Procedures in Skeletally Immature Patients Is Safe and Associated With a Low Failure Rate

PURPOSE: To analyze the rates of graft ruptures and growth disorders, the level of return to sport, and the clinical results of 2 lateral extra-articular procedures in growing children. METHODS: This study was a retrospective, single-center study of patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery combined with 2 different lateral extra-articular procedures (anatomic reconstruction with a gracilis graft or modified Lemaire technique with a strip of fascia lata). The measurements of side-to-side anterior laxity and pivot shift were performed preoperatively and at the last follow-up. The sports level and the complications rate were assessed. The minimal clinically important differences (MCID) and patient acceptable symptoms state threshold scores were calculated. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients (40 ACLs) were included (20 anatomic and 20 modified Lemaire) at an average follow-up of 57 months ± 10 [42-74]. One patient (2.5%) was lost to follow-up. The mean age at surgery was 13.8 ± 1.4 years old [9.8; 16.5]. One graft failure was reported (2.6% [0.06-13.5]) at 35.6 months after surgery. Two cases (5.4%) of femoral overgrowth were observed, and one of them required distal femoral epiphysiodesis. Ninety-two percent of the patients returned to sports. At the final follow-up, side-to-side anterior laxity was significantly improved, and no residual pivot shift was recorded in 95% of patients. Eighty-nine percent of the patients presented a Pedi-International Knee Documentation Committee score greater than the MCID postoperatively, and 77% presented a Lysholm score greater than the MCID. CONCLUSIONS: This series of ACL reconstructions combined with 2 different lateral extra-articular procedures in skeletally immature patients demonstrated promising findings. The low rate of observed complications, including graft rupture and growth disturbance, is encouraging, but the small study population and lack of comparative group precludes reliable conclusions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, therapeutic case series.