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Posterior cruciate ligament lesions are mainly present as combined lesions even in sports injuries

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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

To analyse 1000 consecutive patients, treated with isolated or combined posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction in a single centre according to the epidemiological factors and differences in injury patterns depending on the activity during trauma.

Methods

Between 2004 and 2019, one thousand isolated and combined PCL reconstructions were performed. The medical charts and surgical reports of all patients were analysed regarding epidemiological factors. The PCL lesions were divided into isolated and combined lesions with at least one additional ligamentous injury. The influence of activity during accident and additional injury on the presence of isolated or combined lesions and injury patterns was calculated.

Results

In 388 patients (38.8%), sporting activity was the main activity in PCL lesions, followed by traffic accidents in 350 patients (35.0%). Combined injuries were present in 227 patients (58.5%) with sports injuries and 251 patients (71.7%) with traffic accidents. Only during handball, an isolated PCL lesion (69.1%) was more common than a combined lesion. Highest rate of combined lesions was present in car accidents (91.7%). In all activities except skiing and biking, the most common additional peripheral injury was a tear of the posterolateral corner. In skiing and biking accidents, the most common additional peripheral lesion was a lesion of the medial collateral ligament. In patients with PCL lesion and additional fracture of the same lower extremity, a combined lesion was more common than an isolated lesion (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Combined PCL lesions are more common than isolated lesions, even in sports injuries (except handball). Incidence and injury pattern vary depending on activity during trauma. Main additional peripheral lesion is a lesion of the posterolateral corner, except biking and skiing accidents where a medial lesion is more common.

Level of evidence

Level III.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Sports Orthopedics and Special Joint Surgery, Orthopedic Hospital Markgroeningen, Kurt-Lindemann-Weg 10, 71706, Markgroeningen, Germany

    Michael Schlumberger, Philipp Schuster, Martin Eichinger, Philipp Mayer, Micha Immendörfer & Jörg Richter

  2. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Clinic Nuremberg, Paracelsus Medical Private University, Breslauer Straße 201, 90471, Nuremberg, Germany

    Philipp Schuster

  3. Department of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Raul Mayr

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  1. Michael Schlumberger
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  2. Philipp Schuster
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  3. Martin Eichinger
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  4. Philipp Mayer
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Correspondence to Michael Schlumberger.

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The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Schlumberger, M., Schuster, P., Eichinger, M. et al. Posterior cruciate ligament lesions are mainly present as combined lesions even in sports injuries. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 28, 2091–2098 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-020-05919-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-020-05919-4

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