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J Knee Surg 2021; 34(05): 478-485
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1722695
Special Focus Section

Arthroscopic Primary Repair of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament

Harmen D. Vermeijden
1   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, United States
,
Jelle P. van der List
1   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, United States
2   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spaarne Gasthuis Hospital, Hoofddorp, The Netherlands
3   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
,
Gregory S. DiFelice
1   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, United States
› Author Affiliations Funding G.S.D. declares that he is a paid consultant and receives research grants from Arthrex (Naples, FL).
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Abstract

The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is one of the four major stabilizers of the knee joint and functions as the primary restraint to posterior tibial translation. PCL tears rarely occur in isolation and most commonly presents in the setting of multiligamentous knee injuries. Several treatment strategies for these injuries have been proposed over the last decades, including ligament reconstruction and primary repair. Arthroscopic primary PCL repair has the potential to preserve native tissue using a more minimally invasive approach, thereby avoiding donor-site morbidity and allowing early mobilization. While arthroscopic PCL repair is certainly not an effective surgical approach for all patients, this procedure may be a reasonable and less morbid alternative to PCL reconstruction in selected patients treated for proximal or distal avulsion tears, with low failure rates, good knee stability, and good to excellent subjective outcomes. The surgical indications, surgical techniques, postoperative management, and outcomes for arthroscopic primary repair of proximal and distal PCL tears will be discussed in this review.

Keywords

posterior cruciate ligament - preservation - primary repair - arthroscopy


Publication History

Received: 03 November 2020

Accepted: 29 November 2020

Article published online:
20 January 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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