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Pediatric ACL reconstruction rates increased during the past 20 years
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A recently published study shows an increasing rate of ACL reconstructions in skeletally immature patients. Although only ACL reconstructions were assessed, researchers of the study hypothesize that some ACL tears in children were not diagnosed or were treated nonoperatively.
Researchers used the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database to identify pediatric ACL reconstructions performed between 1990 and 2009. They used ICD-9 and CPT-4 codes to identify reconstructions and assessed patients’ sex, age, race, family income, education and insurance status.
Overall, study results showed an increase in the rate of ACL reconstructions in patients aged 3 years to 20 years from 17.6 per 100,000 in 1990 to 50.9 per 100,000 in 2009. According to the study results, the peak age for ACL reconstruction in 2009 was 17 years and the youngest patient to undergo ACL reconstruction was 9 years old. Researchers found male patients had a 15% higher rate of ACL reconstruction compared to female patients. ACL reconstruction was also six-times more common in patients with private health insurance compared to Medicaid patients.
Disclosure: The researchers have no relevant financial disclosures.
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