After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery, Variables Associated With Returning to the Same Surgeon If a Subsequent Antrior Cruciate Ligament Surgery Is Needed?

Introduction: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions (ACLrs) unfortunately can require revision ACLr, or contralateral ACLr may be indicated (together subsequent ACLr). This study aimed to examine the rate of and factors associated with returning to the same surgeon.

Methods: Patients who underwent ACLr and subsequent ACLr within 3 years were abstracted from the PearlDiver database. Patient factors and surgical factors were examined. Factors independently associated with changing the surgeon were examined.

Results: Overall, 63,582 ACLr patients were identified with 2,823 (4.4%) having a subsequent ACLr. These subsequent ACLrs were performed by the same surgeon for 1,329 (47.1%) and by a different surgeon for 1,494 (52.9%). Factors independently associated with changing surgeons were 90-day adverse events after index surgery (odds ratio [OR] 1.95), longer time to second surgery (OR 1.61), and second surgery on the ipsilateral knee (OR 1.28). Notably, sex, comorbidity, depression, psychoses, and insurance plan were not correlated with choosing changing surgeons.

Conclusion: Over half of the patients who required a subsequent ACLr changed surgeons. Changing surgeons was associated with adverse events after index surgery, ipsilateral revisions, longer time to surgery, and patient age. However, there should be confidence that the other assessed factors were not associated with the decision to change surgeons.