Meniscal Slope As a Risk Factor for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Skeletally Immature Patients

ABSTRACT Purpose The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between femoral intercondylar index (FII), tibial slope, and meniscal slope between three different groups of skeletally immature patients: (G1) primary ACL injury, (G2) ACL reconstruction failure, and (CG) control group, without anterior cruciate ligament injury history. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the knee in 605 skeletally immature patients obtained between 2015 and 2020. The inclusion criteria were as follows: patients under the age of 16 years and were skeletally immature who underwent knee MRI for any reason. Results: A total of 605 skeletally immature patients were included in the study. The ratio of patients with ACL injury (cases) to those without ACL injury (controls) was 1:2.5. Patients with ACL injury had significantly more medial meniscal slope (MMS) and lateral meniscal slope (LMS) when compared to a control group without ACL injury (p