The treatment of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries is a controversial topic in orthopaedic surgery. In contrast to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, for which an abundance of basic science and clinical data is available, the PCL has only recently…
As the number of primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions performed annually continues to increase, the number of revision procedures is also projected to increase. A larger number of patients returning to high-demand sports and activities following primary reconstruction has…
History The anatomy and injury of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has been well-documented in history for centuries, but it was not until the mid-1800s that reports of surgical treatment of ACL injuries began to appear in surgical literature. Although…
Articular cartilage defects in the knee ( Fig. 97.1 ) are common and often result in pain and dysfunction. Over the past several decades, research efforts have focused on better understanding how to diagnose and treat these lesions. Comprised predominately…
Articular cartilage lesions are a key concern in orthopaedic surgery because cartilage has an extremely poor capacity to heal. Treatment of these lesions aims to restore an articular surface that matches the biomechanical properties of normal hyaline cartilage and to…
Introduction Our understanding of the role of the meniscus has evolved over many years. Dating back to 1948, Fairbank et al. described changes to the knee joint such as narrowing of the joint space, squaring of the femoral condyle, and ridge…
History of the Meniscus One of the earliest descriptions of the menisci was recorded by Bland-Sutton in 1897. At that time, the menisci were thought to be vestigial tissue and were depicted as “the functionless remnants of intra-articular leg muscles.”…
The synovial lining is a specialized mesenchymal tissue that is integral to the normal functioning of a joint. Synovial disorders can involve varying amounts of the synovium. Rheumatoid arthritis shows total joint involvement, whereas on the other end of the…
Few areas in orthopaedic surgery have grown as rapidly as knee arthroscopy. Arthroscopy often can be performed more quickly and with increased accuracy, lower complication rates, decreased hospitalization time, and shorter recovery periods, compared with many more open operative techniques.…
Background Imaging plays an important role in diagnosing knee joint pathology. There are a variety of imaging techniques that allow visualization of abnormalities that can affect the bones as well as directly visualizing articular cartilage. In addition, after treatment intervention,…