Anatomic posterolateral corner knee reconstruction

Abstract

Injuries to the lateral collateral ligament and posterolateral corner of the knee, particularly when combined with anterior cruciate or posterior cruciate ligament injuries, can result in profound symptomatic knee instability. Although many surgical improvements have been made in reconstruction of anterior and posterior cruciate ligament injuries, reconstruction of the posterolateral corner has had less predictable results, with residual pathologic laxity especially in the chronic situation. This has stimulated many surgeons to recommend acute repair of posterolateral knee injuries. This article describes a more anatomic reconstruction of the posterolateral corner for chronic instability, recreating the lateral collateral ligament and popliteofibular ligament using either autogenous or allograft soft tissue and an interference screw technique. In a small clinical series, this has proven to restore varus rotation and external rotation patholaxities with a high degree of predictability.