Kissing Contusion Between the Posterolateral Tibial Plateau and Lateral Femoral Condyle: Associated Ligament and Meniscal Tears

Abstract

Purpose: Kissing contusion between the posterolateral tibial plateau and lateral femoral condyle is frequently found in association with a tear of the anterior cruciate liagment (ACL). The purpose of this study was to determine which ligamentous and meniscal tears are associated with kissing contusion. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the findings depicted by 323 consecutive MR images of the knee and confirmed at arthroscopy. For the diagnosis of disruption, ligaments, medial menisci (MM) and lateral menisci (LM) were evaluated using accepted criteria. We compared the prevalence and location of meniscal and ligamentous tears between group I (44 knees with kissing contusion) and group II (279 knees without kissing contusion). For statistical analysis the chi-square test was used. Results: ACLs were torn in all 44 knees (100%) with kissing contusion, and 78 (28%) of 279 without kissing contusion. There were ten medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears (23%) in group I, and 17 MCL tears (6%), five lateral collateral ligament (LCL) tears (2%) and ten posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears (4%) in group II. In group I, meniscal tears were found in 22 MM (50%) and in 19 LM (43%), while in group II, they occurred in 128 MM (46%) and 128 LM (46%). In group I, 17 (77%) of 22 MM tears and 13 (68%) of 19 LM tears were located in the posterior horn, while in group II, the corresponding figures were 97/128 (76%) and 60 of 128 (47%). The differing prevalence of ACL and MCL tears between the groups was statistically significant (p0.05). Conclusion: Although kissing contusion was a highly specific sign of ACL tears, its presence was also significant among MCL tears. There was no signifficant difference in meniscal tears with or without kissing contusion.