Abstract
The multiple ligament injured knee is a severe injury that may also involve neurovascular injuries, fractures, and other systemic injuries. Surgical treatment offers good functional results documented in the literature by physical examination, arthrometer testing, stress radiography, and knee ligament rating scales. Mechanical tensioning devices are helpful with cruciate ligament tensioning. Some low-grade medial collateral ligament complex injuries may be amenable to brace treatment, while high-grade medial side injuries require combined surgical repair-reconstruction. Lateral posterolateral injuries are most successfully treated with combined surgical repair-reconstruction. Surgical timing in acute multiple ligament injured knee cases depends upon the ligaments injured, injured extremity vascular status, skin condition of the extremity, degree of instability, and the patients overall health. Allograft tissue is preferred for these complex surgical procedures. Delayed reconstruction of 2–3 weeks may decrease the incidence of arthrofibrosis, and it is important to address all components of the instability. Currently, there is no conclusive evidence that double-bundle PCL reconstruction provides superior results to single-bundle PCL reconstruction in the multiple ligament injured knee.
The purpose of this chapter is to discuss my surgical technique for combined posterior and anterior cruciate ligament, medial and lateral side reconstructions in acute and chronic multiple ligament injured knees with global laxity. This chapter will focus on recognizing and defining the instability pattern, the use of external fixation, surgical timing, graft selection and preparation, the author’s preferred surgical technique, mechanical graft tensioning, perioperative antibiotics, specialized operating teams, postoperative rehabilitation, and our results of treatment in these complex surgical cases.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Fanelli GC, Beck JD, Edson CJ. Double bundle posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Surgical technique and results. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. 2010;18(4):242–8.
Fanelli GC, Beck JD, Edson CJ. Combined PCL ACL lateral and medial side injuries: treatment and results. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. 2011;19(2):120–30.
Fanelli GC, Boyd J. How I manage PCL injuries. Oper Tech Sports Med. 2009;17(3):175–93.
Fanelli GC, Beck JD, Edson CJ. How I manage the multiple ligament injured (dislocated) knee. Oper Tech Sports Med. 2010;18(4):198–210.
Fanelli GC. Rationale and surgical technique for PCL and multiple knee ligament reconstruction. 2nd ed. Warsaw, IN: Biomet Sports Medicine; 2008.
Fanelli GC, Gianotti BF, Edson CJ. Arthroscopically assisted combined anterior and posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Arthroscopy. 1996;12(1):5–14.
Fanelli GC, Edson CJ. Arthroscopically assisted combined ACL/PCL reconstruction 2–10 year follow-up. Arthroscopy. 2002;18(7):703–14.
Fanelli GC, Feldmann DD. Management of combined anterior cruciate ligament/posterior cruciate ligament/posterolateral complex injuries of the knee. Oper Tech Sports Med. 1999;7(3):143–9.
Fanelli GC, Orcutt DR, Edson CJ. The multiple-ligament injured knee: evaluation, treatment, and results. Arthroscopy. 2005;21(4):471–86.
Fanelli GC, et al. Treatment of combined anterior cruciate-posterior cruciate ligament-medial-lateral side knee injuries. J Knee Surg. 2005;18(3):240–8.
Fanelli GC, Harris JD. Surgical treatment of acute medial collateral ligament and posteromedial corner injuries of the knee. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. 2006;14(2):78–83.
Fanelli GC, Harris JD. Late MCL (medial collateral ligament) reconstruction. Tech Knee Surg. 2007;6(2):99–105.
Fanelli GC, Edson CJ, Reinheimer KN, Garofalo R. Posterior cruciate ligament and posterolateral corner reconstruction. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. 2007;15(4):168–75.
Fanelli GC, Feldmann DD. Arthroscopically assisted combined anterior cruciate ligament/posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. In: Gregory C, Fanelli MD, editors. Posterior cruciate ligament injuries: a practical guide to management. New York: Springer; 2001. p. 215–36.
Fanelli GC. Combined ACL PCL medial lateral side injuries of the knee. In: Gregory C, Fanelli MD, editors. The multiple ligament injured knee. A practical guide to management. New York: Springer; 2004. p. 111–31.
Fanelli GC, Edson CJ, Reinheimer KN. Evaluation and treatment of the multiple ligament injured knee. Am Acad Orthopaedic Surg Instruct Course Lect. 2009;58:389–95.
Levy B, Dajani KA, Whalen DB, et al. Decision making in the multiple ligament injured knee: an evidence based systematic review. Arthroscopy. 2009;25(4):430–8.
Fanelli GC, Stannard JP, Stuart MJ, et al. Management of complex knee ligament injuries. J Bone Joint Surg. 2010;92-A(12):2235–46.
Levy B, Fanelli GC, Whalen D, et al. Modern perspectives for the treatment of knee dislocations and multiligament reconstruction. J Am Acad Orthopaedic Surg. 2009;17(4):197–206.
Fanelli GC, Beck JD, Edson CJ. Single compared to double bundle PCL reconstruction using allograft tissue. J Knee Sur. 2012;25(1):59–64.
Fanelli GC. Posterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation: how slow should we go? Arthroscopy. 2008;24(2):234–5.
Edson CJ, Fanelli GC, Beck JD. Rehabilitation after multiple ligament reconstruction of the knee. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. 2011;19(2):162–6.
Edson CJ, Fanelli GC, Beck JD. Postoperative rehabilitation of the posterior cruciate ligament. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. 2010;18(4):275–9.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Fanelli, G.C. (2013). Surgical Treatment of Combined PCL-ACL Medial and Lateral Side Injuries (Global Laxity): Acute and Chronic. In: Fanelli, G. (eds) The Multiple Ligament Injured Knee. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-49289-6_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-49289-6_20
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-49287-2
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-49289-6
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)