The relevance of the Sherman classification for ACL tears
The situation of the anterior cruciate ligament tear is particularly relevant in injuries of children. Type I tears (avulsions) are particularly amenable to repair as opposed to reconstruction.
Reconstruction may be problematic in children where the bones are still growing as the surgeon will likely try to avoid any injury to the growth plate when making the tunnels for the new ligament.
"[In this study] Type I tears were seen in 16%, type II in 27%, and type III in 52% of patients....[and their] incidence of type I tears was significantly higher in patients older than 35 years, [with] more type I tears in females....It is possible that with low-energy injuries the ligament tends to avulse off the wall, while with high-impact injuries, the ligament is more commonly disrupted in the midsubstance."
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A-Z Keywords
Cruciate ligament repair, Cruciate ligament reconstruction