Posterolateral corner reconstruction is the surgical repair of a significant injury to the posterolateral corner of the knee. PLC tears are most often sustained from an acute injury. For example, a blow to the inner or medial knee while playing football or during a motor vehicle accident can cause a tear of the PLC.
What makes the posterolateral corner?
In the posterolateral corner, the bony landmarks of the tibia, fibula and femur serve as the attachment sites of the ligaments and tendons that stabilize this portion of the knee. The patella plays no significant role in the posterolateral corner.
What is the posterolateral capsule?
Located on the outside of the knee joint, the posterolateral corner (PLC) of the knee functions to stabilize the knee against direct lateral or external forces. The posterolateral corner of the knee is one of the more complex areas to both diagnose and surgically treat when injured.
Where is the posterolateral corner?
knee
The posterolateral corner is a complex area of tendons and ligaments around the outside of the knee. Like a Spaghetti Junction of the body, the PLC is a ‘meeting point’ for the fibular collateral ligament, the popliteofibular ligament, the popliteus tendon, the biceps femoris tendon, the iliotobial band and more.
What is posterolateral instability of the knee?
Posterolateral instability is defined as the instability that results from injuries to the posterolateral stabilising structures of the knee. This instability is posterior, varus and external rotation. Isolated posterolateral ligamentous instability of the knee is however uncommon.
How long does a posterolateral corner injury take to heal?
Posterolateral corner surgery Results from an acute repair have better functional results compared to a reconstruction. When an injury is 4-6 weeks old, the damaged structures start to scar down. This can make a surgical repair difficult or even impossible. After 6 weeks it is recommended to reconstruct the PLC.
What is the Slocum test?
The Slocum’s test (1976) represents a modification of the Anterior Drawer test which tests anteromedial rotary instability (AMRI) and anterolateral rotary instability (ALRI) of the knee. The anterior drawer test evaluates the anterior cruciate ligament.
What makes up the PLC knee?
The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is located inside the knee, just behind the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). It is one of several ligaments that connect the femur (thighbone) to the tibia (shinbone). The posterior cruciate ligament keeps the tibia from moving backward with relation to the thigh bone.
What is posterolateral rotatory instability?
Posterolateral rotatory instability of the elbow is a three-dimensional displacement pattern of abnormal external rotatory subluxation of the ulna coupled with valgus displacement on the humeral trochlea. This pattern causes the forearm bones to displace into external rotation and valgus during flexion of the elbow.
What is the posterior oblique ligament?
The posterior oblique ligament (POL) is the predominant ligamentous structure on the posterior medial corner of the knee joint. A thorough understanding of the anatomy, biomechanics, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of POL injuries will aid orthopaedic surgeons in the management of these injuries.
Is posterolateral corner a ligament?
Injuries to the posterolateral corner (PLC) comprise a significant portion of knee ligament injuries. A high index of suspicion is necessary when evaluating the injured knee to detect these sometimes occult injuries.
What happens if posterolateral corner is not treated?
In patients with central ligamentous injuries, the presence of a posterolateral corner injury influences treatment and surgical planning. Untreated injuries to the posterolateral corner may lead to posterolateral knee instability and have been identified as a cause of anterior cruciate ligament graft failure 1.
What is a posterolateral corner (PLC) injury?
Posterolateral corner (PLC) injuries are traumatic knee injuries that are associated with lateral knee instability and usually present with a concomitant cruciate ligament injury (PCL > ACL). Diagnosis can be suspected with a knee effusion and a positive dial test but MRI studies are required for confirmation.
What is the prevalence of posterolateral corner injuries?
Posterolateral corner injuries are commonly associated with ACL or PCL tears, with only 28% of all PLC injuries occurring in isolation (1).
What is the clinical importance of the posterolateral corner of the knee?
The purpose of this article is to review the clinical importance and MRI appearances of injuries to the posterolateral corner of the knee. CONCLUSION. Injuries to the posterolateral corner structures of the knee can cause significant disability due to instability, cartilage degeneration, and cruciate graft failure.
