Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2018 Sep;11(3):521-527.
doi: 10.1007/s12178-018-9506-z.

Graft Considerations in Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Pierce Johnson  1 , Sean M Mitchell  2 , Simon Görtz  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Graft Considerations in Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Pierce Johnson et al. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2018 Sep.

Abstract

Purpose of review: To highlight current and established concepts regarding PCL injury and reconstruction.

Recent findings: Recent biomechanical and clinical studies have brought attention to improved surgical techniques and clinical outcomes of PCL reconstruction. In contrast to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, isolated posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries occur much less frequently and have traditionally been treated non-operatively. Even when a PCL injury meets operative indications, outcomes of PCL reconstruction historically do not match the success rates of ACL reconstruction procedures. As such, there remains controversy regarding appropriate indications and techniques for surgical repair leading to a paucity of conclusive data regarding surgical outcomes. Recently, however, there has been an increase in focus on the role of the PCL in proper knee biomechanics and negative long-term sequelae of chronic PCL insufficiency. This improved understanding has led to advancements in surgical technique and graft options for PCL reconstruction.

Keywords: PCL graft; PCL reconstruction; PCL surgical technique; Posterior cruciate ligament.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

Simon Görtz reports personal fees from the Joint Restoration Foundation. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

References

    1. Girgis FG, Marshall JL, Monajem A. The cruciate ligaments of the knee joint. Anatomical, functional and experimental analysis. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1975;106:216–231. doi: 10.1097/00003086-197501000-00033. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Kennedy NI, LaPrade RF, Goldsmith MT, et al. Posterior cruciate ligament graft fixation angles, part 2: biomechanical evaluation for anatomic double-bundle reconstruction. Am J Sports Med. 2014;42(10):2346–2355. doi: 10.1177/0363546514541226. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Covey DC, Sapega AA, Sherman GM. Testing for isometry during reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament. Anatomic and biomechanical considerations. Am J Sports Med. 1996;24(6):740–746. doi: 10.1177/036354659602400607. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ahmad CS, Cohen ZA, Levine WN, Gardner TR, Ateshian GA, Mow VC. Codominance of the individual posterior cruciate ligament bundles. An analysis of bundle lengths and orientation. Am J Sports Med. 2003;31(2):221–225. doi: 10.1177/03635465030310021101. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Nagasaki S, Ohkoshi Y, Yamamoto K, Ebata W, Imabuchi R, Nishiike J. The incidence and cross-sectional area of the meniscofemoral ligament. Am J Sports Med. 2006;34(8):1345–1350. doi: 10.1177/0363546506287825. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources