2021 AOSSM-AANA Combined Annual Meeting Recordings-Role of Age on Success of Arthroscopic Primary Repair of Proximal Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears

Role of Age on Success of Arthroscopic Primary Repair of Proximal Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, the speaker discusses their experience with ACL primary repair and the role of age in the outcomes. They mention that recent interest in primary ACL repair has shown better results in isolated proximal tears with good tissue quality in the acute or subacute setting. A meta-analysis they conducted showed a re-tear rate of about 6 to 14 percent. They highlight that ACL reconstruction in younger age groups is associated with a significant risk of re-tear, but it is less known for ACL repair. The speaker conducted a retrospective study on ACL repair patients from 2008 to 2017 in three age groups: under 21, 22-35, and over 35. The failure rate was 37 percent in the under 21 group, compared to 3.5 percent in the over 21 group. The study found no differences in outcomes between repair and repair with internal brace techniques. However, the speaker notes the limitations of the study, including its retrospective design and short follow-up period. Overall, the speaker emphasizes the need for larger cohorts and longer follow-up to further understand ACL repair outcomes.

Asset Caption

Gregory DiFelice, MD

Keywords

ACL primary repair

age and outcomes

proximal tears

re-tear rate

ACL reconstruction