title: Arthroscopic suture fixation for avulsion fractures in the tibial attachment of the posterior cruciate ligament.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to highlight our surgical technique of arthroscopic suture fixation for acute tibial eminence posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) avulsion fractures, clinical and radiographic outcomes, and complication rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study enrolled patients who had undergone arthroscopic reduction and suture fixation by use of 4 No. 5 Ethibond sutures (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ) for image-proven displaced PCL attachment fractures of the tibial eminence with posterior knee instability of grade II or higher. The mean follow-up period was 36 months (range, 24 to 45 months). Follow-up assessment included 3 different functional scores, KT-1000 arthrometry (MEDmetric, San Diego, CA), and radiographic evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean preoperative Lysholm score in the 36 patients was 35 (range, 26 to 55); the mean postoperative Lysholm score was 95 (range, 80 to 100). The mean preinjury and preoperative Tegner scores in the 36 patients were 7.4 ± 1.6 (range, 5 to 9) and 3.2 ± 1.5 (range, 2 to 5), respectively. The mean postoperative Tegner score was 7.0 ± 1.8 (range, 5 to 9). At the final follow-up, the International Knee Documentation Committee scores were observed to be normal (grade A) or nearly normal (grade B) in 33 patients (91.7%) and abnormal (grade C) in 3 patients (8.3%). All 36 fractures achieved union within 3 months. No significant complications such as arthrofibrosis, loss of initial fixation, or wound infection were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of tibial PCL avulsion fractures by arthroscopic suture fixation is a successful technique to restore tibial avulsion injuries of the PCL with well-documented radiographic healing, good clinical outcomes, and low complication rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level IV, therapeutic case series.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Sports Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Szu-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chun-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Shih-Sheng
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Min-Chain
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chih-Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Alvin Chao-Yu
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016119:Posterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013977:Tibia / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult