Functional assessment of combined reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament and posterolateral corner with a single femoral tunnel: a two-year minimum follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
A technique for combined reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterolateral corner (PLC) with a single femoral tunnel was recently described. This technique aims to avoid tunnel confluence in the lateral femoral condyle. Because there have been no studies on the functional outcomes and possible complications of this technique, our goal is to demonstrate a two-year minimum follow-up of patients who underwent this type of reconstruction.


METHODS
Nine patients were prospectively evaluated. The ACL was reconstructed with an anatomic single bundle, and the PLC structures reconstructed were the lateral collateral ligament, the popliteus tendon, and the popliteofibular ligament. Patients were evaluated using the objective and subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and the Lysholm and Tegner scales before and after the surgical procedure.


RESULTS
The mean follow-up period of the studied patients was 27.3 months. The mean subjective IKDC score rose from 43.6 to 84.0, and the Lysholm score rose from 62.1 to 90.8. In the final assessment, six patients were classified as IKDC A and three as IKDC B. According to the Tegner scale, five patients were able to return to their level of activity prior to the injury. There were no reconstruction failures. One patient experienced postoperative infection and pain in the lateral scar.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the reconstruction of ACL injuries associated with PLC with a single femoral tunnel produced a good functional outcome and a low incidence of complications.
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, 05403-010, São Paulo, Brazil, camilo_helito@yahoo.com.br.
Camilo Partezani
CP
Helito
Marcelo Batista
MB
Bonadio
Marco Kawamura
MK
Demange
Roberto Freire
RF
da Mota e Albuquerque
José Ricardo
JR
Pécora
Gilberto Luis
GL
Camanho
Fabio Janson
FJ
Angelini
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D017844:Lateral Ligament, Ankle / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation