ArticleArchives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery2023
Spontaneous healing of acute ACL ruptures: rate, prognostic factors and short-term outcome.
Article in Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- Surgical management of tibial eminence avulsion fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery · 2024Pooled it
- Clinical and MRI Restoration of ACL Continuity Following Functional Complete ACL Rupture in an Adolescent Athlete: A Case Report.Clinical case reports · 2026Article
- Diagnosis and imaging assessment of partial anterior and posterior cruciate ligament tears.Skeletal radiology · 2026Review
- Can the Spatial Heterogeneity in the Epiligament Explain the Differential Healing Capacities of the ACL and MCL?Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Article
- Surgical Stabilization Results in Superior Clinical Outcome, Lower Recurrent Instability, and Reduced Risk of Meniscal Tears Relative to Nonoperative Treatment of ACL Rupture: A 3-Year Prospective Controlled Cohort Study.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2025Article
- Primary repair of proximal anterior cruciate ligament injury: a global expert consensus statement.Burns & trauma · 2025Article
- Comparison between a Novel Knee Arthrometer and Simultaneous Stress Radiography for the Diagnosis of Complete and Partial Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears.Orthopaedic surgery · 2024Article
- The potential of posterior cruciate ligament buckling phenomenon as a sign for partial anterior cruciate ligament tears.Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery · 2024Article
- Ligament Healing After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture: An Important New Patient Pathway?International journal of sports physical therapy · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionAnterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is considered the first line treatment in ACL rupture. However, some patients return to high intensity sport activities and show a normal knee function without ACL reconstruction. Therefore, aim of this study was to evaluate the rate and prognostic factors of spontaneous healing in patients with ACL rupture and the short-term functional outcome.
methodsThe rate, prognostic factors and short-term functional results of spontaneous healing in patients with ACL rupture were evaluated in 381 patients. Morphology of ACL rupture and extent of posterior tibial slope (PTS) were classified by MR- and x-ray imaging. In patients with normal knee stability in anesthesia examination and healed ACL during the arthroscopy 6 weeks after trauma ACL reconstruction was canceled. IKDC -, Tegner Activity Score, KT 1000 testing and radiological characteristics were collected 12 months postoperatively in these patients.
results14.17% of the patients with ACL rupture showed a spontaneous healing after 6 weeks. Femoral ACL-rupture (p < 0.02) with integrity of ligament stump > 50% (p < 0.001), without bundle separation (p < 0.001) and decreased PTS (p < 0.001) was found significantly more often in patients with a spontaneous healed ACL. The average IKDC score was high at 84,63 in patients with healed ACL at 1 year follow-up, but KT 1000 testing was inferior compared to non-injured side.
conclusionSpontaneous healing of a ruptured ACL happened in 14% of the patients. Especially in low-demand patients with femoral single bundle lesions without increased posterior tibial slope delayed ACL surgery should be considered to await the possibility for potential spontaneous ACL healing.
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