Avulsion Fracture of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament from Femoral Insertion Occurred in a Patient with Residual Poliomyelitis: A Case Report

Avulsion fracture of the posterior cruciate ligament from its femoral insertion is quite rare, particularly in adults, and the treatment guidelines have not been established. A 68-year-old female patient with residual poliomyelitis presented with an avulsion fracture of the femoral insertion of the posterior cruciate ligament after a falling accident and was treated with arthroscopic headless compression screw fixation and pull-out suture of the avulsed ligament. We report this case with a relevant discussion of this type of injury.

Second-Look Arthroscopic Assessment and Clinical Results of Modified Pull-Out Suture for Posterior Root Tear of the Medial Meniscus

PURPOSE: To identify the structural integrity of the healing site after arthroscopic repair of a posterior root tear of the medial meniscus by second-look arthroscopy and to determine the clinical relevance of the findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2005 to December 2010, 20 consecutive patients underwent arthroscopic modified pull-out suture repair for a posterior root tear of the medial meniscus. Thirteen patients were available for second-look arthroscopic evaluation. The healing status of the medial meniscus was classified as complete healing, lax healing, scar tissue healing, and failed healing. We evaluated the correlation between the clinical symptoms and second-look arthroscopic findings. Clinical evaluation was based on the Lysholm knee scores and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) scores. RESULTS: There were 4 cases of complete healing, 4 lax healing, 4 scar tissue healing, and 1 failed healing. The healing status of the repaired meniscus appeared to be related to the clinical symptoms. Patients who achieved complete tissue healing had no complaint. The healing status exhibited no relationship with age, mechanical axis, degree of subluxation, and symptom duration. The mean Lysholm score improved from 34.7 preoperatively to 75.6 at follow-up and the mean HSS score also significantly increased from 33.5 to 82.2. CONCLUSIONS: We achieved 4 complete and 8 partial healing (lax or scar) of the medial meniscus in this retrospective case series of posterior horn meniscus root repairs performed by 1 surgeon. Further research is needed to clarify why all patients showed clinical improvement despite findings of partial healing on second-look arthroscopy.

Modified Pull-out Suture in Posterior Root Tear of the Medial Meniscus: Using a Posteromedial Portal

In cases with root tear of the medial meniscus posterior horn, the meniscus usually can be repaired by a pull out suture technique. However, there is difficulty in manipulating a suture hook via the anteromedial portal and looking through the arthroscopic camera via anterolateral portal in the narrow medial joint space at the same time. This article describes a modified simple pull out suture technique for root tear of the medial meniscus posterior horn using a posteromedial portal that provides a safe and easy handling of the suture hook. Our indications of this technique used in patients with Outerbridge 1-2 arthritic change and minimal varus axis change. Benefits of this technique are simple, less invasive, and reduced operation time by simultaneous suture with a hook via posteromedial portal and pulling of a string with grasper. It may reduce the possibility of an additional chondral or meniscal injury.

Arthroscopic Treatment of Tibia Intercondylar Eminence Comminuted Fracture Used Number 5-nonabsobable Suture Material

PURPOSE: To evaluate effect of modified arthroscopic pull-out suture technique which used number 5-nonabsorbable suture material for tibia intercondylar eminence comminuted fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: There were 21 cases of tibia intercondylar emimence fracture which arthroscopic treated at our hospital between 1999 and 2004. However the study population only included 12 cases in which a number 5-nonabsorbable suture material (Ethibond No. 5) was used for tibia intercondylar eminence comminuted fractures and minimum 1-year follow-up has gone. The average follow-up period was 18.5 months (range, 12 to 42 months). Lachman test and KT-2000 athrometer test were evaluated at the pre-and post-operation. Clinical results of all patients were evaluated with the Meyers and Mckeever 's criteria. RESULTS: In all 12 cases, the normal range of motion and sports activities were recovered at the final follow-up. When tested for anterior instability with KT-2000 arthrometer, there were no different between normal knee and operated knee. Clinical results by Meyers and Mckeever's criteria were excellent in 10 patients and good in 2 patients. CONCLUSION: We obtained early mobilization and stable fixation in modified arthroscopic pullout suture technique for tibia intercondylar eminence comminuted fractures. Patients can early return to his job. This technique seems to be one of the effective operative techniques for treatment of tibia intercondylar eminence comminuted fractures.

Arthroscopic Reduction and Pull-out Suture Fixation for the Intercondylar Eminence Fracture of the Tibia

PURPOSE: Meyers-McKeever and Zaricznyj proposed a classification for intercondylar eminence fractures of the tibia. Type III and IV classifications are generally accepted as surgical indications for the fractures. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of arthroscopic reduction and multiple pull-out suture fixation for displaced intercondylar eminence fractures of the tibia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty two cases were examined, with a average age of 14(5~23) years, and the average follow-up was 34 months(24 months~6 years). Patients were evaluated according to the Meyers and McKeever criteria, and were scored at 6 weeks, 4 months, 8 months, each year and at the last follow-up. Patients underwent the following evaluations: radiological, range of motion, Lachman test, pivotshift test and the KT 2000 arthrometer. RESULTS: The average union time was postoperative week 9.3(6~12 weeks). According to the Meyers and McKeever criteria, the cases showed the following outcomes at the final follow-up: 19(86.4%) excellent, 2(9.1%) good and 1(4.5%) poor. CONCLUSION: Using the short- and mid-term arthroscopic reduction and multiple pull-out suture fixation procedure for displaced intercondylar eminence fractures of the tibia resulted in 95.5%(19) of cases showing good or excellent outcomes, indicating this procedure is effective.

Treatment of Fracture of the Tibial Intercondylar Eminence with Arthroscopic Pull-Out Suture

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of arthrocopic treatment for the avulsion fracture of intercondylar eminence of the tibia and of the technique of arthroscopically assisted reduction and fixation through pull-out suture method. Between January 1995 and May 1997, three patients were underwent arthroscopic reduction and suture fixation for type 0 of avulsion fracture of intercondylar eminence of tibia and were followed up. The result of two patients were graded as normal and one as nearly normal by the criteria of the International Knee Documentation Committee(IKDC) rating scale. The advantages of this technique include no retained hardware and ability to treat comminuted fracture(type g ). We describe technique of arthroscopic reduction and suture fixasion for displaced avulsion fractures, including those with comminution of intercondylar eminence of tibia.