Surgical treatment of acute and chronic anterior and posterior cruciate ligament and lateral side injuries of the knee.

Abstract

Combined anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, and lateral-sided injuries of the knee most often occurs secondary to a forced varus moment or after knee dislocation. Management controversies include the optimal timing of surgery, operative techniques, and postoperative rehabilitation. Recent systematic literature reviews have demonstrated higher rates of failure with repair of the lateral and posterolateral corner structures, as opposed to reconstruction. However, the ideal ligament reconstruction techniques remain unclear. This chapter will review the combined anterior cruciate ligament/posterior cruciate ligament/lateral-sided injury pattern, including the physical examination findings, imaging, timing of surgery, graft selection, operative techniques, and postoperative rehabilitation protocols.