Clinical experience with arthroscopic suture pull technique in isolated PCL avulsion injuries

Abstract

Objectiveto assess twenty two cases of isolated PCL avulsion fractures from tibial insertion, arthroscopically treated with suture pull technique, and to evaluate achieved clinical outcomes in terms of radiographic laxometry (objective) and Lysholm scale (subjective). Material and methodStudy includes 22 cases operated between April 2014 and March 2017. Patients less than 18 years old, presentation after 3 weeks of injury, concomitant injury in the same limb, with open wounds or with comminuted avulsed fragment were excluded from the study. All cases were MRI proven. All arthroscopic suture fixation technique was used in all cases. Follow up was done at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. Mean follow up was one year. Subjective complaints, Knee flexion, Lysholm score and stress radiographs were noted. ResultsAverage Lysholm score was 96.3. Seventeen patients had excellent results and Five had good results based on Lysholm scores. In two patients, grade 2 laxity (5–10 mm) was present on stress radiographs but there were no clinical complaints. All patients achieved osseous union and had no functional limitation. Three Patients developed arthrofibrosis initially but gained functional range later. ConclusionArthroscopic suture fixation method for PCL avulsion fracture from tibia is a good and safe method of choice for fixation.