Anterior Cruciate Ligament Medial Collateral Ligament Research Articles

Early ACL reconstruction in combined ACL-MCL injuries.

This study reports 18 patients with 19 combined ligament injuries with complete anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and a minimum grade II medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear who underwent early reconstruction of the ACL and nonoperative treatment of the MCL. Inclusion criteria included ACL reconstruction performed within 3 weeks of initial injury, no history of antecedent injury to the ipsilateral knee, and 2-year follow-up data. Associated injuries were noted in 11 patients including 6 isolated lateral meniscal tears, 1 isolated medial meniscal tear, 5 combined meniscal tears, 1 chondral injury, and 1 patellar fracture. Subjective minimum 2-year follow-up yielded a mean Lysholm score of 94.5 and a mean Tegner activity score of 8.4. Serial clinical examinations demonstrated good functional outcomes, range of motion, and strength. No patient experienced ACL graft failure or valgus instability or required subsequent surgery for chondral or meniscal damage. One patient required a second surgery for arthrofibrosis. Clinical and functional outcomes in this study were good with low motion complication rates. Based on our data, early surgical reconstruction of the ACL and nonoperative treatment of the MCL in combined injuries is acceptable and results in excellent clinical and functional outcomes.

Management of combined ACL-MCL tears: a systematic review

The optimal management for combined anterior cruciate ligament-medial collateral ligament (ACL-MCL) injuries is controversial. We performed a literature search using Medline, Cochrane and Google Scholar using the keywords: 'ACL' and 'MCL' in combination with 'surgery treatment', 'conservative treatment', 'surgery management', 'conservative management', 'surgical treatment' and 'surgical management'. We identified 23 published studies. Conservative and surgical management for combined ACL-MCL injuries resulted in different functional outcomes. The Coleman Methodology Score showed great heterogeneity in terms of study design, patient characteristics, management methods and outcome assessment and generally low methodological quality. Given the heterogeneity in terms of treatment and results, we did not find a univocal trend over the years regarding MCL management (conservative or surgical). The use of several scoring systems did not allow us to compare outcomes in the different studies. There is a need for a common validated scale for clinical measurements for ACL-MCL injuries, so as to allow easier and more reliable comparison of outcomes in different studies. To improve diagnostic certainty of combined ACL-MCL injuries, all patients should have imaging assessment (MR and stress-radiography) in addition to clinical examination. There is a need to perform appropriately powered randomized clinical trials of conservative and surgical treatment of combined ACL-MCL injuries, using standard diagnostic assessment, common and validated scoring system comparing reported outcomes and duration of follow-up more than 2 years.

ACL/MCL transection affects knee ligament insertion distance of healing and intact ligaments during gait in the Ovine model

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of combined transection of the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments on the intact and healing ligaments in the ovine stifle joint. In vivo 3D stifle joint kinematics were measured in eight sheep during treadmill walking (accuracy: 0.4±0.4 mm, 0.4±0.4°). Kinematics were measured with the joint intact and at 2, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks after either surgical ligament transection ( n=5) or sham surgery without transection ( n=3). After sacrifice at 20 weeks, the 3D subject-specific bone and ligament geometry were digitized, and the 3D distances between insertions (DBI) of ligaments during the dynamic in vivo motion were calculated. Anterior cruciate ligament/medial collateral ligament (ACL/MCL) transection resulted in changes in the DBI of not only the transected ACL, but also the intact lateral collateral ligament (LCL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), while the DBI of the transected MCL was not significantly changed. Increases in the maximal ACL DBI (2 week: +4.2 mm, 20 week: +5.7 mm) caused increases in the range of ACL DBI (2 week: 3.6 mm, 20 week: +3.8 mm) and the ACL apparent strain (2 week: +18.9%, 20 week: +24.0%). Decreases in the minimal PCL DBI (2 week: −3.2 mm, 20 week: −4.3 mm) resulted in increases in the range of PCL DBI (2 week: +2.7 mm, 20 week: +3.2 mm). Decreases in the maximal LCL DBI (2 week: −1.0 mm, 20 week: −2.0 mm) caused decreased LCL apparent strain (2 week: −3.4%, 20 week: −6.9%). Changes in the mechanical environment of these ligaments may play a significant role in the biological changes observed in these ligaments.

Nonoperative Management of Acute Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries

ABSTRACT This article describes the evaluation and treatment of patients with isolated medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries or MCL injuries combined with other knee ligament injuries. Injuries to the MCL are common in the active, athletic patient population. It is now a standard practice to treat MCL injuries nonoperatively. In the case of a combined anterior cruciate ligament-medial collateral ligament injury, the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction should be delayed until the acute inflammation subsides, motion is restored, quadriceps muscle control is regained, and the MCL is healed. Patients with MCL injuries who are appropriately rehabilitated achieve good functional outcomes without residual medial instability.

A review of ski injuries resulting in combined injury to the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligaments

Alpine skiing is a global winter recreational sport with 15 million participants in the United States alone, and an overall injury rate of 2.5 per 1,000 ski person-days. Isolated injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or the medial collateral ligament (MCL) is common among ski injuries; however, combined injury to these structures is rare. Controversy in the management of ACL instability following alpine ski injury is diminishing with improvements in the techniques of intra-articular cruciate reconstruction. However, the management of the combined ACL–MCL injury remains something of an enigma. Evidence exists to support both surgical and nonsurgical management strategies for the medial structures, but little consensus exists for the timing of the repair. This paper highlights the mechanisms of ski injuries that can result in combined injury to the ACL and MCL. The anatomy and biomechanics of the medial complex as it relates both to stability and operative repair are reviewed, and literature on the techniques and indications used for MCL repair in the setting of a combined injury is presented. On the basis of this review, we believe that an injury to the MCL does not need to be repaired if the ACL is reconstructed after a combined injury.Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, Vol 19, No 2 (February), 2003: pp 194–202

Meniscal injuries associated with acute anterior cruciate ligament tears in alpine skiers.

We reviewed the records of 315 patients receiving an arthroscopically assisted stabilizing procedure for an acute anterior cruciate ligament injury incurred while alpine skiing to evaluate associated meniscal injuries. Meniscal injuries were classified by type, location, and treatment of the tear. Of the 317 knees operated on, all demonstrated an anterior cruciate ligament tear at arthroscopy. Ninety-eight percent of the injuries (310) were diagnosed within 3 days of injury, and 97% (307) were reconstructed within 28 days of injury. All tears occurred in the intrasubstance of the ligament; 32% were isolated injuries and 68% were combined with other injuries. In 159 patients with 170 meniscal tears 141 of the tears (83%) were lateral and 29 (17%) were medial. The injury triad of anterior cruciate ligament-medial collateral ligament-lateral meniscus was seen nine times as often as the anterior cruciate ligament-medial collateral ligament-medial mensicus combination.

Treatment of combined anterior cruciate ligament-Medial collateral Ligament (ACL-MCL) injuries with ACL reconstruction and nonoperative MCL management

Treatment of combined anterior cruciate ligament-Medial collateral Ligament (ACL-MCL) injuries with ACL reconstruction and nonoperative MCL management

Snow skiing combined anterior cruciate ligament/medical collateral ligament disruptions

Recent reports indicate that combined anterior cruciate ligament/medial collateral ligament (ACL/MCL) knee injuries are usually associated with a lateral meniscus tear. In our center, snow skiing is the athletic activity most frequently associated with this double-ligament injury complex. A sports-specific analysis was undertaken to evaluate the hypothesis that the snow skiing ligament injury is different from similar injuries caused by other athletic activities. Of a total of 64 acute arthroscopically confirmed tears of both the MCL and ACL, 23 were caused by snow skiing and 41 by nonskiing activities. There were fewer lateral meniscus tears in skiers (43%) when compared with the nonskiers (88%). Skiers also had fewer medial meniscus tears (13%) than did nonskiers (37%). No medial meniscus tears occurred in the absence of a lateral meniscus tear. Although 78% of the skiers were women, only 12% of the nonskiers were women. Skiers were older (average age 35 years) than the nonskiers (average age 28 years). The right knee was injured almost twice as frequently as the left. These data suggest that the double (ACL/MCL) ligament injury in skiers might be distinctly different from that in nonskiers.

Anterior cruciate ligament-medial collateral ligament injury: nonoperative management of medial collateral ligament tears with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. A preliminary report.

We present the results of a series of patients who had nonoperative management of the medial collateral ligament with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. From February 1983 through December 1989, 84 of 90 consecutive patients were available for followup (minimum, 1 year; mean, 3.1 years) with a combined anterior cruciate ligament-medial collateral ligament injury (anterior cruciate ligament rupture and medial collateral ligament tear) received surgical management by the same physician. The last 68 of these 84 patients who met the inclusion criteria underwent patellar tendon graft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, with concomitant nonoperative management of medial collateral ligament tears. Follow-up evaluation consisted of physical examination for medial laxity, range of motion, and isokinetic and KT-1000 testing. Brace use and postoperative level of competition were also recorded. In addition, the patients completed a subjective assessment questionnaire rating pain, swelling, and stability. They also rated overall activity level, and any changes in their ability to do the activities tested: walk, climb stairs, run, jump, or twist. Our results indicate that proper reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament, in conjunction with nonoperative management of tears of the medial collateral ligament in combined anterior cruciate ligament-medial collateral ligament injuries, can given excellent stability and good to excellent functional outcome in patients with combined anterior cruciate ligament-medial collateral ligament injuries.