Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was to elucidate the continiuty of ligament in chronic injury of the posterior cruciate ligament(PCL).
Method: Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) of twenty-six PCL injury patients with grade II or III laxity and more than 5mm side to side difference on stress radiographs were reviewed in terms of ligamentous continuity and thickness of the ligament at average 7.2 months(range:1–36) after injury. The results were compared with arthroscopic findings in fifteen patients.
Results: Eighteen PCLs(69%) showed continuity of PCL, in which average thickness of the injured portion was 61% of the intact portion. When thickness of the ligament in cases without continuity was rated as zero, the average thickness of the PCLs as compared to intact portion of the ligament increased as the time from injury elapsed; 16.4% in 0–2 months group (7 cases), 30.0% in 3–5 months group (6 cases), 53.8% in 6–8 months group (9 cases) and 80.0% in over 9 months group (4 cases). Of the fifteen cases with confirmed continuity of PCL in arthroscopic examination, nine cases showed continuity on MRI, while the remaining six cases didn’t.
Conclusion: More than two thirds of PCLs in symptomatic chronic injury showed ligamentous continuity on MRI. The longer the interval from injury was, the thicker the PCL was. In cases over 6 months after injury, the PCLs were of more than 50% thickness of the intact portion.
The abstracts were prepared by Professor Jegan Krishnan. Correspondence should be addressed to him at the Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park 5047, Australia.
