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Clinical outcome after reconstruction for isolated posterior cruciate ligament injury

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Fifty-one patients were operated with reconstruction for an isolated PCL injury from 1997 to 2005. Forty-three of these patients were followed during a median period of 48 months (17–109). Median time from injury to surgery was 18 months (2–368). Five patients were operated within the first 6 months after the injury. Nineteen patients had a BPTB autograft, 24 had a hamstring tendon autograft, and seven patients in the hamstring group had a double-bundle femoral fixation. Clinical assessment included Lysholm knee score, International Knee Documentation Committee 2000 (IKDC) scores, Cincinnati score, Tegner score, KOOS score, VAS score, stress radiographs, and a functional test. The median Lysholm score at follow-up was 80 (32–95). Median Tegner score before injury was 7 (1–10) and at follow-up 6 (0–9). Median Cincinnati and IKDC 2000 scores were 74 (12–100) and 63 (24–100), respectively. The mean VAS for subjective assessment of knee function was 67.6 (SD = 22.9). The radiologically measured difference in posterior tibial translation between operated and non-injured knees was mean 8.4 mm (SD = 4.8). Four different functional tests showed function of the operated leg from 92% (25–128) to 95% (15–124) compared to the opposite leg. This study shows good functional outcome after reconstruction for isolated rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament. However, pain and instability are still a problem, as only three patients reported full Lysholm subscore indicating full stability, and only four patients reported full subscore indicating no knee pain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopaedic Department, Asker and Baerum Hospital, 1309, Rud, Norway

    Odd Arve Lien & Wender Figved

  2. Orthopaedic Center, Ullevaal University Hospital, 0407, Oslo, Norway

    Emilie Jul-Larsen Aas, Steinar Johansen, Tom Clement Ludvigsen & Lars Engebretsen

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  1. Odd Arve Lien
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  2. Emilie Jul-Larsen Aas
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  3. Steinar Johansen
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  4. Tom Clement Ludvigsen
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  5. Wender Figved
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  6. Lars Engebretsen
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Correspondence to Odd Arve Lien.

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Lien, O.A., Aas, E.JL., Johansen, S. et al. Clinical outcome after reconstruction for isolated posterior cruciate ligament injury. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 18, 1568–1572 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-010-1176-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-010-1176-3

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