ArticleKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2017
Sports-specific differences in postsurgical infections after arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
Article in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Risk Factors for Infection After Ankle, Knee, Hip, Shoulder, or Elbow Arthroscopy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.The American journal of sports medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Risk factors for postoperative surgical site infections after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.British journal of sports medicine · 2023Pooled it
- No significant difference in skin contamination during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with and without preoperative skin cleaning.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2025Article
- Infection after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Narrative Review of the Literature.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Risk Factors for an Infection After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2023Review
- [Knee injuries in winter sports].Orthopadie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2022Review
- Current Standards of Early Rehabilitation after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in German Speaking Countries-Differentiation Based on Tendon Graft and Concomitant Injuries.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Septic Arthritis Complicating Arthroscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: An Experience from a Tertiary-Care Hospital.Infection and drug resistance · 2022Article
- Post-operative septic arthritis after arthroscopy: modern diagnostic and therapeutic concepts.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposePost-operative infection after arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a rare but severe complication, particularly for young and active patients. It is unclear whether the prevalence of knee infection is correlated with the type of sports or the level of performance.
methodsFrom 2008 to 2012, the internal single-centre ACL registry of the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence Regensburg was retrospectively screened for sex, age, time between isolated primary ACL rupture and surgery, surgical technique, rate of infection after ACL reconstruction and the type of sports practised.
resultsIn total, 4801 ACL reconstructions had been conducted over 5 years, 4579 in amateur and 221 in professional athletes. After application of the exclusion criteria, 1809 athletes with ACL reconstruction were analysed regarding postsurgical infection and the type of sports practised. Professionals and amateurs did not significantly differ with regard to infection rates (n.s.) but in the timing of ACL repair (p < 0.001). Eleven of 1130 football players had developed postsurgical infection after ACL reconstruction (1.0%) in contrast to 557 skiers and snowboarders without infection (p = 0.02). The timing of ACL repair did not differ between the different types of sports (n.s.). Staphylococcus aureus and epidermidis were the predominant detected bacteria. All patients were hospitalised and successfully treated with arthroscopic lavage and antibiotic medication.
conclusionACL infections showed sports-related differences. Athletes practising summer outdoor sports such as football had a significantly higher risk of infection after ACL reconstruction than winter sports athletes. No difference was found between professional and amateur athletes. Relevant prevention strategies for postsurgical ACL infections should consider influencing patient factors such as the type of sports activity and attendant circumstances. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.
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