Unplanned reoperation after ACL reconstruction

BACKGROUND: Prior work suggests a significant reoperation rate after undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Unplanned reoperation after ACL reconstruction is believed to be a surrogate after adverse events occur (i.e. , deep infection, graft dislodgement, etc.). METHODS: One hundred eighty-two patients over the age of 18 who had a primary ACL reconstruction between 2012 and 2018 at a single level 1 trauma center were evaluated. 39 of these patients underwent a subsequent unplanned surgery. Statistical analysis was performed to assess for predictive factors for unplanned reoperation. Explanatory variables included sex, race, marital status, affected side, psychiatric diagnoses, BMI, trauma mechanism, presence of deep infection. RESULTS: Presence of deep infection was predictive of unplanned reoperation following primary ACL reconstruction (P=0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with deep infection following ACL reconstruction are likely to undergo unplanned repeat surgery. Future prospective studies with a larger sample size would be needed to further assess the associations between patient characteristics and unplanned reoperation after ACL reconstruction.