Comparison of early effectiveness of arthroscopic suture bridge technique and conventional double tunnel suture technique in treatment of avulsion fracture of posterior cruciate ligament insertion

Abstract

To compare the early effectiveness of arthroscopic suture bridge technique and conventional double tunnel suture technique in the treatment of avulsion fracture of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) insertion. Between June 2013 and December 2018, 62 patients with tibial avulsion fracture of PCL insertion that met the criteria were selected and randomly divided into trial group (using arthroscopic suture bridge technique) and control group (using conventional double tunnel suture technique), 31 cases in each group. There was no significant difference in gender, age, injured side, cause of injury, time from injury to operation, Meyers & McKeever classification, Kellgren-Lawrence classification, and preoperative knee range of motion, difference of posterior relaxation of bilateral knee joints, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, and Lysholm score between the two groups ( P>0.05). The operation time and IKDC score, Lysholm score, knee range of motion, the difference of posterior relaxation of bilateral knee joints (measured by KT-2000 under knee flexion of 90° and 30 lbs) were recorded and compared between the two groups before operation and at 3 and 12 months after operation. Both groups successfully completed the operation, and the operation time of the trial group and the control group were (61.81±6.83) minutes and (80.42±4.22) minutes respectively, showing significant difference between the two groups ( t=12.911, P=0.000). All the incisions healed by first intention, and there was no wound infection and other early postoperative related complications. All patients were followed up 13-18 months (mean, 14.6 months). The fractures in both groups healed at 3 months after operation. No knee pain, limited movement, or other complications occurred. At 3 and 12 months after operation, the IKDC score, Lysholm score, knee range of motion, and the difference of posterior relaxation of bilateral knee joints in both groups were significantly improved when compared with preoperative ones, and further improved at 12 months after operation when compared with at 3 months after operation ( P<0.05). At each time point after operation, the above indexes and the grade of the difference of posterior relaxation of bilateral knee joints in the trial group were significantly better than those in the control group ( P<0.05). Arthroscopic suture bridge technique in the treatment avulsion fracture of PCL insertion is simple and reliable, which can significantly improve the function and stability of the knee joint and obtain satisfactory early effectiveness.