Treatment of medial-sided injuries in patients with early bicruciate ligament reconstruction for knee dislocation.

PURPOSE: In knee dislocation with bicruciate ligament and medial side injury (KDIIIM), treatment method of medial side injuries is controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of non-operative treatment of proximal and midsubstance and operative treatment of distal avulsion medial collateral ligament (MCL) ruptures in patients with early bicruciate reconstruction. METHODS: One-hundred and forty-seven patients with a knee dislocation and bicruciate ligament injury (KDII-KDV) were identified. Sixty-two patients had KDIIIM injury. Of these, 24 patients were excluded and 13 were lost to follow-up. With a minimum of 2 years of follow-up, IKDC2000 (subjective and objective), Lysholm and Tegner scores and stress radiographs were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were available for follow-up: 18 had a proximal or midsubstance grade-III MCL rupture (proximal MCL group) and 7 had a distal MCL avulsion (distal MCL group). In the proximal MCL and distal MCL groups, respectively, median IKDC2000 subjective scores were 80 (range 57-99) and 62 (range 39-87), and median Lysholm scores were 88 (range 57-99) and 75 (range 40-100). The median medial opening (side-to-side difference) was 2.4 mm (range 0.1-9.2) in the proximal MCL group and 2.5 mm (range 0.2-4.8) in the distal MCL group. CONCLUSION: We found acceptable recorded outcomes in patients who underwent non-operative treatment of proximal and midsubstance grade-III MCL rupture and operative treatment of distal MCL avulsion with early bicruciate ligament reconstruction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Range of motion and quadriceps muscle power after early surgical treatment of acute combined anterior cruciate and grade-III medial collateral ligament injuries. A prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Early operative treatment of combined anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligament injuries has frequently led to motion complications and slow quadriceps muscle power gains. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of early repair or nonoperative treatment of a concomitant medial collateral ligament injury on range of motion of the knee and quadriceps muscle strength in patients with combined injuries. METHODS: Forty-seven consecutive patients with combined anterior cruciate and grade-III medial collateral ligament injuries were randomized into two groups. The medial collateral ligament was repaired in Group I (n = 23) and was treated nonoperatively in Group II (n = 24). In both groups, the torn anterior cruciate ligament was treated with early reconstruction. The patients were evaluated on the basis of sequential range-of-motion measurements, the one-leg-hop test, and isokinetic muscle power measurements at the time of follow-up, and the findings were compared between the two treatment groups. RESULTS: All patients achieved full knee extension. At all follow-up intervals the flexion deficit was greater in the group that had been managed with surgical repair of both ligaments, but the difference was significant only at six weeks (100 degrees compared with 112 degrees; p = 0.009), twelve weeks (119 degrees compared with 128 degrees; p = 0.043), and thirty-six weeks (130 degrees compared with 136 degrees; p = 0.011) after the operation. The difference between the groups was not significant at fifty-two weeks (132 degrees compared with 137 degrees) or 104 weeks (134 degrees compared with 137 degrees). The quadriceps muscle power deficit at fifty-two weeks was 30.7% in the group that had been managed with combined repair and 20.5% in the group that had been managed with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction only (p = 0.015). At 104 weeks, the deficits were 14.4% and 9.7%, respectively (p = 0.2). CONCLUSIONS: Early operative treatment of combined anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligament injuries is possible without increased long-term mobilization complications. The rehabilitation period is long, and aggressive physiotherapy is recommended. However, nonoperative treatment of the torn medial collateral ligament allows faster restoration of flexion and quadriceps muscle power. Our results favor nonoperative treatment of the torn medial collateral ligament in patients with combined injuries.

The efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging in acute multi-ligament injuries.

This study compares MRI with examination under anaesthesia to surgical findings in evaluating soft tissue injuries in acute multi-ligament knee trauma. Pre-operative MRI was done for 44 patients who underwent surgery for grade III ACL and grade III medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury. In 21 cases both ACL and MCL were treated surgically, but in 23 only ACL. Intra-operative and MRI findings were compared. Accuracy of MRI for medial meniscal tears was 88.6%, sensitivity 80%, and specificity 91.2%; accuracy for lateral meniscal tears was 72.7%, sensitivity 55% and specificity 87.5%. Accuracy and sensitivity for severity of ACL tear was 93.2% and of MCL tear 86.4%. In 88.6% of the knees, bone bruises were visible, with anterolateral femoral and posterolateral tibial bone bruise being the most common. MRI revealed no chondral lesion, but arthroscopy revealed 11. In combined ACL-MCL ruptures, the incidence of concomitant injuries is high and the injuries are best detected with MRI.

Operative and nonoperative treatments of medial collateral ligament rupture with early anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND: The apparent consensus is that solitary medial collateral ligament rupture can be treated nonoperatively, but treatment of severe combined ruptures of the medial collateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament remains controversial. HYPOTHESES: Nonoperative and early operative treatments of grade III medial collateral ligament rupture lead to similar results when the anterior cruciate ligament is reconstructed in the early phase. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial; Level of evidence, 1. METHODS: Forty-seven consecutive patients with combined anterior cruciate ligament and grade III medial collateral ligament injuries were randomized into 2 groups. The medial collateral ligament injury was treated operatively in group 1 (n = 23) and non-operatively in group 2 (n = 24). In both groups, the anterior cruciate ligament injury was treated with early reconstruction, using bone-patellar tendon-bone graft and interference screw. Two years postoperatively, knee stability was measured with a KT-1000 arthrometer and Telos valgus radiography and knee extension strength with a Biodex dynamometer and a 1-legged hop test. An International Knee Documentation Committee evaluation form and Lysholm score were completed. RESULTS: All 47 patients were available for clinical evaluation for a mean of 27 months (range, 20-37 months) after surgery. There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups with respect to subjective function of the knee, postoperative stability, range of motion, muscle power, return to activities, Lysholm score, and overall International Knee Documentation Committee evaluation. The subjective outcome and Lysholm score were good and anteroposterior knee stability excellent in both groups. CONCLUSION: Nonoperative and operative treatments of medial collateral ligament injuries lead to equally good results. Medial collateral ligament ruptures need not be treated operatively when the anterior cruciate ligament is reconstructed in the early phase.