Anterolateral ligament of the knee：anatomy, biomechanics and functional recovery / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Anterior cruciate ligament injury accompanied by unstable rotation is a hotspot in sports medicine. Further understanding of the anatomy and biomechanics of the anterolateral ligament can play a guiding significance for the recovery of knee joint rotational stability. OBJECTIVE:To systematicaly review current literature on the anterolateral ligament of the knee and to understand the incidence, anatomy, morphology and histology of the anterolateral ligament as wel as mechanism of anterolateral ligament injury. METHODS: The first author searched the PubMed, Medline, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP databases for articles specificaly addressing the anterolateral ligament. Data extraction related to the incidence, anatomy, morphometry, biomechanics, and histology of the anterolateral ligament and its relation to the “Segond” fracture was performed. The retrieve time ranged from 1878 to 2015. Totaly 362 literatures were retrieved, including 342 articles in English and 20 in Chinese. According to inclusive and exclusive criteria, 42 articles were included in result analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The occurrence rate of the anterolateral ligament ranges from 83% to 100%, and this range occurs because of smal discrepancies in the definition of the bony insertions of the anterolateral ligament. The anterolateral ligament originates anterior and distal to the femoral attachment of the lateral colateral ligament. It spans the joint in an oblique fashion and inserts between the fibular head and Gerdy tubercle of the tibia. Exact anatomic and morphometric descriptions vary in the literature, and there are discrepancies regarding the anterolateral ligament attachment to the capsule and lateral meniscus. The anterolaterial ligament is a contributor to the stability of tibial internal rotation, and histologicaly, it exhibits paralel, crimped fibers consistent with a ligamentous microstructure. The footprint of the anterolateral ligament has been shown to be at the exact location of the Segond fracture. The anterolateral ligament is a distinct ligamentous structure at the anterolateral plane of the knee, and it is likely involved in the control of excessive tibial internal rotation that can cause the Segond fracture.