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Observational Study
. 2022 Mar 23;23(1):276.
doi: 10.1186/s12891-022-05189-w.

Patients with isolated posterior cruciate ligament rupture had a higher posterior intercondylar eminence

Shi Weili  1 , Meng Qingyang  1 , Chen Nayun  1 , Ma Yong  1 , Yang Yuping  1 , Liu Ping  1 , Ao Yingfang  2 , Gong Xi  3
Affiliations
Observational Study

Patients with isolated posterior cruciate ligament rupture had a higher posterior intercondylar eminence

Shi Weili et al. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. .

Abstract

Background: To evaluate the anatomic geometry of the posterior intercondylar eminence and its association with PCL injury risk.

Methods: Patients who underwent primary PCL reconstruction from 2015 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The control group included inpatients diagnosed with ACL rupture because of a sports-related accident during the same period, matched by age, gender, height, weight, and side of injury. Measurements of the height of the apex of the posterior intercondylar eminence (HPIE), the slope length (SLPIE) and the slope angle (SAPIE) of the posterior intercondylar eminence were performed using conventional MRI scans assessed by 2 blinded, independent raters. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) was used to evaluate the consistency of measurement results. Independent sample t tests, Chi-square tests, and logistic analyses were used to compare the two group, with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results: Fifty-five patients with PCL rupture met the inclusion criteria and 55 PCL-intact matched controls were included. There were no significant differences between the groups in gender (P = 1.000), limb side (P = 0.848), age (P = 0.291), BMI (P = 0.444) or height (P = 0.290). Inter-observer reproducibility was excellent agreement in HPIE, SLPIE and SAPIE of case and control groups (ICC: HPIE = 0.81, SLPIE = 0.77, SAPIE = 0.85). Patients with PCL rupture had significantly greater HPIE, SAPIE (both P < 0.001), and SLPIE (P < 0.05) than PCL-intact patients. The multivariable analysis showed that HPIE (OR, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.24-2.11], P < 0.001) and SAPIE (OR, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.05-1.31], P < 0.001) were independent factors associated with PCL rupture.

Conclusion: Through this retrospective observational study, we found that patients with PCL rupture may have a higher posterior intercondylar eminence compared to PCL-intact patients.

Level of evidence: III.

Keywords: MRI; PCL risk factors; Posterior cruciate ligament; Posterior intercondylar eminence.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic diagram of normal PCL position in (A) knee extension and (B) knee flexion
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A-C: Measurements of HPIE, SLPIE and SAPIE in PCL rupture patient. D-F: Measurements of HPIE, SLPIE and SAPIE in PCL-intact patient. A and D, reference line. B and E, HPIE was measured as the perpendicular length from the apex to the reference line, and SLPIE was measured as the distance from the apex to the lowest tibial attachment of the PCL C and F, SAPIE was measured between the reference line and the tangent of the slope of the posterior intercondylar eminence
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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