title: Description of the posterolateral rotatory drawer maneuver for the identification of posterolateral corner injury.
abstract: Injury to the posterolateral corner (PLC) is difficult to diagnose; most lesions of this type are included within the context of complex knee injuries. Study of the posterolateral complex is growing in importance because of the complex instability generated by these injuries. Although various physical examination tests are described for the diagnosis of PLC lesions, in 72% of cases these lesions are not identified at their initial presentation, which shows the difficulty in both performing these tests and interpreting the results. The maneuver described in this report is performed by executing external rotation of the leg. With the thumb of the proximally positioned hand, the examiner evaluates the positioning of the lateral tibial plateau in relation to the femoral condyle. With this maneuver, in lesions of the PLC and particularly lesions of its external rotation-restricting structures, we observe external rotation of the tibia and posterior subluxation of the lateral tibial plateau that cause the anterior edge of the tibial plateau to be posteriorized in relation to the anterior edge of the lateral femoral condyle. The idea behind this maneuver is not to eliminate the use of other tests but, rather, to add it to a diagnostic arsenal that still has interpretation flaws.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology-Hospital and Clinics, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fábio Janson
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Angelini
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology-Hospital and Clinics, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Batista
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Bonadio
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology-Hospital and Clinics, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camilo Partezani
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Helito
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology-Hospital and Clinics, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto Freire
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: da Mota E Albuquerque
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology-Hospital and Clinics, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Ricardo
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Pécora
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology-Hospital and Clinics, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gilberto Luis
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Camanho