Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center

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Information about project titled 'Trends in pediatric ACL-reconstructions in Norway (2005-2019)'

Trends in pediatric ACL-reconstructions in Norway (2005-2019)

Details about the project - category Details about the project - value
Project status: Ongoing
Project manager: Caroline Kooy Tveiten
Supervisor(s): Guri Ranum Ekås
Coworker(s): Rune B. Jakobsen, Lars Engebretsen, Andreas Persson, Håvard Visnes, Anne Marie Fenstad

Description

Background: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries were previously thought to be rare in the pediatric population. It is a severe injury to sustain as a child, and the health burden regarding both short- and long-term complications is high. Management is a controversial topic in the skeletally immature, and there are risks associated with both surgical and non-surgical treatment. The incidence of pediatric ACL reconstruction (ACLR) is markedly increasing in the USA and Australia, which is concerning. ACLR in the pediatric population has not yet been described in a population-based setting in Norway, and the incidence is also unknown.

Purpose: To determine the incidence and to investigate details regarding ACL reconstructions in children and adolescents in Norway.

Methods: Data will be retrieved from the nationwide Norwegian Knee Ligament Register (NKLR). Girls aged 14 years or younger, and boys aged 16 years or younger, with primary ACL reconstruction registered between January 2005 and December 2019, will be included.

Implications: It is urgent to get a better overview of ACL-injuries in children as it is an emerging public health problem. This study will provide important information as it includes all surgically treated pediatric ACL-injuries in Norway (for the past 15 years), and it will be the first detailed description of this patient group. Overview of injury mechanisms may help to target preventive measures. Furthermore, highlighting the incidence of ACL reconstructed children may be helpful in drawing attention to ACL injuries in children in general, which imposes a great health burden on the young population.