Osteoarthrosis of the knee due to chronic posttraumatic insufficiency of the lateral ligament compartment. Eight-year follow-up

Abstract

The aim of the investigation was to examine and describe the osteoarthrotic changes that chronic, partial or complete lateral ligament compartment (LAT) insufficiency causes to the knee joint. Eleven patients with partial and 10 with complete, isolated rupture of the LAT had a clinical and radiological reexamination of the knee on an average eight years after the injury. In both groups the changes occurred frequently on the lateral side of the knee. The most characteristic findings were osteophytes and subchondral sclerosis of femoral and tibial lateral condyles, tibial eminence and patella, subchondral cysts as well as narrowing of lateral joint space. None of the patients in the group with partial, but 5 (50%) of those with complete insufficiency of the LAT suffered from a clear posttraumatic osteoarthrosis of the injured knee. In complete tears the total extent of these pathological changes per patient was fivefold compared to the patients with partial tear.