ReviewCureus2025
Outcomes of All-Epiphyseal Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction in Skeletally Immature Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Review in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Age-specific over-the-top anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) in skeletally immature patients: No major complications during early follow-up.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
All-epiphyseal reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has gained traction as a way to stabilise the knees of children and adolescents, without violating their open physes. Nevertheless, evidence is still mixed regarding its clinical benefits and complication profile. This systematic review and meta-analysis, therefore, set out to determine the procedure's effectiveness and safety in paediatric patients with open growth plates. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were systematically searched up to July 2025 for studies reporting outcomes of all-epiphyseal ACL reconstruction in skeletally immature patients. Eligible studies reported at least one clinical or radiological outcome. Meta-analyses were performed using standardised mean differences (SMDs) and odds ratios (ORs). Six studies (n = 150 patients) were included. Meta-analysis showed a significant improvement in Lysholm knee function scores after all-epiphyseal ACL reconstruction (SMD = -2.54; 95% CI: -2.90 to -2.17; p < 0.00001), and a marked reduction in the odds of a positive Lachman test indicating instability (OR = 1026.65; 95% CI: 142.49 to 7397.31; p < 0.00001). Most patients (up to 96%) returned to sport within 8-14 months. The risk of clinically significant growth disturbance was low (<2%), and graft failure rates ranged from 4% to 17%. Mild limb overgrowth was reported, but it is rarely clinically relevant. All-epiphyseal ACL reconstruction provides excellent knee function and stability, with a low risk of growth disturbance in skeletally immature patients. Careful technique and long-term follow-up are recommended to minimise complications.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.