ABSTRACT
A follow up study of 24 patients with recent ligament tears of the knee is presented. The patients were operated upon within two weeks after injury by primary repair. The lesions in the present study include 12 cases with various tears of Medial Collateral ligament [MCL] [three of these having associated medial meniscus detachment]. There were nine cases with combined MCL and Anterior Cruciate Ligament [ACL] tears [associated medial meniscus in two].Three patients presented with combined MCL on PCL tears[with one case having in addition a detached medial meniscus]. In all six cases with meniscal injuries with the exception of one the detached medial meniscus was resutured.Despite the persistence of grade1+ and 2 + instability postoperatively in eight patients. The functional outcome is encouraging. Eighteen patients obtained satisfactory [excellent and good] end results whereas only six cases had fair or poor results.The end results were closely related to the severity of the lesions present in each case. The importance of early surgical repair of injuried knee ligmaments is stressed. The necessity for reinforcing the repair particularly of ACL tears has been discussed