The management of acute ligamentous injuries of the knee; experience with 116 patients.
One hundred and eighteen acute complete ligamentous injuries of the knee in 100 males and 16 females presented in the years 1974 to 1976. Stress analysis under anaesthesia was considered an important step in the clinical evaluation, while radiological evidence of articular fractures justified a high index of suspicion with ligamentous lesions. Eighty-eight of the injuries were treated by early operative repair of all damaged structures. The remaining knees were considered on preselected criteria, to be suitable for conservative treatment. At review twelve months following injury, 73% of the knees were considered to have good results. In general, late review showed no deterioration in stability, but an increasing proportion had pain. Unsatisfactory results were due to combined cruciate and collateral ligament instability.
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013314:Stress, Mechanical