Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in patients who are prepubescent.

Between 1980 and 1996, 17 children who were prepubescent have had a combined intraarticular and extraarticular reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament using the iliotibial band that does not violate the physes. The average chronological age of the patients was 11 years (range, 2-14 years) and the average skeletal age of the patients was 10 years (range, 2-13 years). Eight of the 10 patients who had attained skeletal maturity were evaluated at an average of 66.5 months postoperatively (range, 25-168 months). All knees were stable subjectively by history and objectively by KT1000 testing. The average Lysholm score at assessment was 97.4. No child with a traumatic disruption had leg length discrepancy develop.