Treatment of iatrogenic injury to medial collateral ligament in total knee arthroplasty / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the treatment of iatrogenic injury to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA).Methods:From January 2009 to December 2016, 14 patients were treated at Department of Arthropathy, Zhengzhou Orthopedics Hospital for iatrogenic MCL injury in primary TKA (injury group). They were 3 males and 11 females with an age of (72.6±3.9) years. The MCL injury was body rapture in 9 cases and avulsion of femoral insertion in 5 ones. Interlacing suture was used for body rapture and reparative reconstruction with wire anchors or nails was performed for avulsion of femoral insertion. A restrictive condylar prosthesis was used instead in the 4 patients whose medial stability failed to be restored after repair of body rapture. A control group of 21 cases was enrolled who had suffered from no iatrogenic MCL injury in primary TKA at the corresponding period. There were 5 males and 16 females with an age of (73.2±3.9) years. The 2 groups were compared in terms of American Knee Society Score (KSS) and knee flexion.Results:There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in preoperative general data, showing comparability between groups ( P>0.05). The injury group was followed up for 18 to 36 months (mean, 33 months). Joint loosening was observed at 18 months after operation in 3 patients with nonrestrictive prosthesis who had to receive secondary revision. At the 36-month follow-up of the remaining 11 patients, normal knee extension and flexion was observed, the stress test of valgus showed no inner relaxation, their KSS increased significantly from preoperative 50.0±22.7 to 93.3±4.7, and their knee flexion was improved significantly from 90.4°±10.3° to 110.7°±8.8° ( P<0.05). There were no significant differences in KSS score or knee flexion between the 2 groups at 3, 6, 12 or 36 months after operation ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Iatrogenic MCL injury in primary TKA should be repaired and reconstructed by one-stage surgery because the patients can achieve curative results similar to those for the patients free from iatrogenic MCL injury in primary TKA.