ACL Surgery Can Lead to Osteoarthritis

It may seem a little unfair, but a study by Olle Mansson, M.D., of NU-Hospital Group in Uddevalla, Sweden has found that adolescents who have an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction are more likely to demonstrate osteoarthritic changes later in life.

“Long-term follow-ups after the surgical treatment of ACL injuries in kids are rare and this is one of the few studies that has been able to track individuals, ” said Mansson who is the lead author of the study.

The study, reported by News Medical, assessed 32 patients, aged 12 to 16 years old, at a period of 10 to 20 years after their initial ACL reconstruction using bone-patellar bone-tendon or hamstring tendon autograft.

Twenty-nine patients underwent clinical, radiographical and health-related quality of life assessments after 10 to 20 years .The results revealed significant osteoarthritic changes on the reconstructed knee (65%) compared to the non-involved knee (14%). Quality of life and other health related scores were the same or comparable to those seen in healthy controls.

Mansson agreed that early reconstruction of ACLs is often the choice for young more skeletally mature athletes to restore knee stability and prevent progressive meniscal and/or articular cartilage damage. These procedures, he noted, allow individuals to return to the playing field and continue an active lifestyle. However, Mansson said, “it is still important to evaluate long-term effects such as osteoarthritis when considering surgeries for these pediatric patients.”