Results of Arthroscopic Treatment of Acute Posterior Cruciate Ligament Avulsion Fractures With Suspensory Fixation

Clinical outcomes and complications of four surgical techniques for tibial avulsion fractures of the posterior cruciate ligament: a retrospective comparative study

OBJECTIVE

The optimal surgical approach for tibial avulsion fractures of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) remains controversial. This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of four techniques: arthroscopic suture fixation, arthroscopic loop plate fixation, open reduction with cannulated screw fixation, and open reduction with anchor suture bridge fixation.

METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted of 73 patients treated between January 2019 and December 2023 using one of four surgical techniques: arthroscopic suture fixation (Group A, n = 26), arthroscopic loop plate fixation (Group B, n = 14), open reduction with cannulated screw fixation (Group C, n = 16), and open reduction with anchor suture bridge fixation (Group D, n = 17). Demographic data, operative time, pre- and postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, Lysholm scores, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores, knee range of motion (ROM), and postoperative complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

No significant differences were observed in baseline demographic data among the four groups (P >.05). Operative time was shortest in Group D (60.41 ± 12.39 min), significantly less than in the other groups (P =.0001). At 3 months postoperatively, all groups demonstrated significant improvements in VAS, Lysholm, and IKDC scores (P <.0001); however, intergroup differences were not statistically significant (P >.05). Group A demonstrated significantly less ROM recovery compared with the other groups (P =.0171). At final follow-up, further improvements in functional scores and ROM were observed in all groups, with no significant intergroup differences (P >.05). Complication rates differed significantly among the groups (P =.0361), with Group D reporting the lowest rate (0%) and Group A the highest (34.6%).

CONCLUSION

No significant differences were found in overall clinical outcomes among the four techniques. However, open reduction with anchor suture bridge fixation demonstrated favorable operative efficiency and complication profile, suggesting clinical advantages in selected patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2500100641. Registration Date: 2025-04-11, Retrospectively registered.

Comparison of three surgical methods for displaced posterior cruciate ligament tibial insertion avulsion fractures: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of three surgical methods, three types of arthroscopic suture fixation, suspension fixation with EndoButton, and open screw fixation, in the treatment of displaced posterior cruciate ligament tibial insertion avulsion fractures.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 104 patients with posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fractures between 2010 and 2023 was performed. The patients were divided into three groups according to the surgical approach used: suture fixation in Group A (24 patients), suspension fixation with EndoButton in Group B (37 patients), and hollow screw fixation in Group C (43 patients). The Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Tegner activity score, and postoperative imaging findings of all patients were collected. The final follow-up data were used to compare the differences among the three groups.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference in the general information of the three groups of patients. Among the 104 patients, the mean postoperative Lysholm score was 92.9 (CI, 91.0-94.8) in Group A, 93.4 (CI, 92.3-94.6) in Group B, and 93.5 (CI, 92.6-94.4) in Group C. Postoperative IKDC subjective assessment of knee function was considered normal or near normal in more than 95% of the patients in all three groups. More than 93% of the patients in all three groups did not have severe abnormalities in knee range of motion. The mean postoperative Tegner activity score was 6.7 (CI, 6.3-7.1) in Group A, 7.0 (CI, 6.7-7.3) in Group B, and 6.9 (CI, 6.6-7.1) in Group C. Imaging at 3 months after surgery revealed bone healing, and no serious postoperative complications were found in any of the three groups.

CONCLUSION

All three treatments yielded good clinical results and imaging healing. In particular, arthroscopic suspension fixation with EndoButton is recommended as the preferred treatment because of its low invasiveness, good mechanical properties and low complication rate.

Clinical efficacy of arthroscopic high-intensity suture binding combined with button plate suspension fixation in the treatment of posterior cruciate ligament tibial avulsion fractures

PURPOSE

To assess the clinical efficacy of arthroscopic treatment for posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tibial avulsion fractures using high-intensity suture binding combined with button plate suspension fixation.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed clinical data from 32 patients with PCL tibial avulsion fractures treated at our hospital from July 2020 to August 2023. We recorded operation time, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and used imaging to assess fracture reduction and healing. Pain and knee function were evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), range of knee motion, Lysholm score, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score.

STUDY DESIGN

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

RESULTS

All patients were followed for 6 to 18 months, averaging 13.6 months. All incisions healed successfully without postoperative complications. X-rays taken on the first postoperative day showed satisfactory fracture reduction. Three-month post-surgery imaging confirmed healed fractures and no internal fixation failures. At the final follow-up, knee function was well recovered, with only one patient exhibiting a positive posterior drawer test of degree I. Furthermore, the mean VAS score was 0. 5 (range 0.0 to 1.0), active knee extension was 2. 2° (range 0.0 to 5.0), and active knee flexion was 137.7° (range 130.0 to 145.0). The mean Lysholm score was 91.5(range 89.3 to 94.0), and the IKDC score averaged 83.8 ± 3.7, and these outcomes showed statistically significant improvement from preoperative levels (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Arthroscopic high-intensity suture binding combined with button plate suspension fixation for PCL tibial avulsion fractures offers several benefits: it is minimally invasive, results in less postoperative pain, enables earlier functional exercise, and provides satisfactory clinical outcomes with fewer complications.

Modified arthroscopic repair of a posterior cruciate ligament tibial avulsion fracture improves IKDC and Lysholm score compared to open reduction

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to analyse the difference between arthroscopic fixation and open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tibial avulsion fractures.

METHODS

This retrospective study analysed patients with an acute PCL tibial avulsion fracture who underwent surgical treatment at our hospital and follow-up for at least 24 months. Variables based on sex, age, Meyers-McKeever type, surgical method, meniscus tear, external fixation, labour or sports, Lysholm knee score, IKDC score, and KT-1000 value were also recorded. Multifactor unconditional logistic regression and Student's t test with 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) to remove confounding factors were used for analysis.

RESULTS

Sixty-five cases achieved knee function graded as "good" or better, and 9 cases not. Single-factor analysis indicated that Meyers-McKeever type (χ2 = 4.669, P = 0.031) and surgical approach (χ2 = 9.428, P = 0.002) are related to functional outcomes. Multifactorial logistic regression analysis further confirmed that Meyers-McKeever typing (OR = 10.763, P = 0.036, [95% CI 1.174-98.693]) and surgical approach (OR = 9.274, P = 0.008, [95% CI 1.794-47.934]) are independent risk factors affecting prognosis. In addition, PSM verified significant differences in the Lysholm score (t = 3.195, P = 0.006), IKDC score (t = 4.703, P = 0.000) and A-KT/H-KT (t = 2.859, P = 0.012). However, the affected-side KT-1000 value (A-KT, mm, t = 1.225, P = 0.239) and healthy-side KT-1000 value (H-KT, mm, t = 1.436, P = 0.172) did not significantly differ between the two groups. The proportions of cases in which the Lysholm score, IKDC and A-KT/H-KT exceeded the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) were 62.5% (20/32), 62.5% (20/32) and 93.75% (30/32), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Compared with ORIF, an arthroscopic approach for PCL tibial avulsion fractures achieves better results.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Retrospective cohort study; Level II.

Displaced Posterior Cruciate Avulsion Fracture Fixation With Medial Collateral Ligament and Lateral Meniscus Injury Using Combined Open and Arthroscopic Methods

Tibial-sided posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fractures are challenging injuries that often occur concomitantly in the setting of multiligament knee and other soft-tissue injuries. There is no consensus on the optimal surgical approach or timing of treatment for these injuries. This Technical Note describes the fixation of a displaced posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fracture with concomitant grade 3 medial collateral ligament injuries and bucket-handle lateral meniscus tears using open and arthroscopic techniques. This method allows the surgeon to address multiple pathologies in a single stage, although it requires strategic planning and rehabilitation considerations.

Arthroscopic Trans-septal Portal of the Knee With Direct Visualization and No Need for Posterolateral Portal Creation

Arthroscopic visualization and access of the posterior knee are limited when using standard anterior and posterior portals. The creation of a trans-septal portal allows for complete access to the posterior compartment as arthroscopic instruments are able to be passed back and forth between the posteromedial and posterolateral compartments. Due to the close proximity of the popliteal artery and its branches, precise portal placement and safe orientation of arthroscopic instruments are critical to avoid iatrogenic injury. The conventional technique of trans-septal portal creation, involving a posterolateral portal, can be difficult in some cases. To overcome these obstacles, a posteromedial technique of trans-septal portal creation is presented. By using the medial parapatellar portal as the viewing portal, our technique allows for direct visualization of the posterior septum on each step of creation of the trans-septal portal, eliminating the need for "blind" maneuvers. What is more, no posterolateral portal is needed, decreasing the risk of potential complications. Using the posterior cruciate ligament fibers as a main landmark for trans-septal portal placement, preservation of the posterior part of the septum is achieved. This ensures optimal safe-margin distance away from the popliteal neurovascular bundle and making the technique safe and reproducible.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Clinical Outcomes After Management of Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tibial Avulsion Fractures

Background

There is no consensus regarding the management of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) avulsion fractures and the expected outcomes after treatment.

Purpose

To systematically review clinical outcomes and complications after management of tibial-sided avulsion fractures of the PCL.

Study Design

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods

A literature search of Scopus, PubMed, Medline, and the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials was performed in accordance with the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Included were studies with evidence levels 1 to 4 that reported clinical outcomes after treatment of PCL tibial-sided avulsion fractures in humans. The quality of the included studies was performed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) criteria. A meta-analysis was performed for patient-reported outcome measures using random-effects modeling with 95% CIs.

Results

A total of 58 studies published between 1999 and 2022 were identified. The mean MINORS score was 9.90 ± 4.12, indicating overall low-quality evidence with high risk of bias. The studies comprised 1440 patients (mean age, 32.59 ± 5.69 years; 75.2% males) with a mean follow-up of 26.9 ± 19.6 months (range, 5.3-126 months). Most patients were treated with open surgery (63.6%), followed by arthroscopic surgery (29.7%) and nonoperative treatment (6.7%). All patients reported significant posttreatment improvement in both subjective and objective outcomes (P < .05 for all). Arthroscopic surgery was associated with lower postoperative posterior tibial translation compared with open surgery (range, 0.6-3.2 vs 1.7-3.1 mm), greater preoperative to postoperative improvement in Lysholm score (54.6 vs 48.8; P < .0001), higher postoperative Tegner score (6.64 ± 1.03 vs 6.14 ± 2.29; P = .0448), and a higher rate of return to sport (100% vs 89.5%; P = .009). Nonoperative management was associated with a significantly lower fracture union rate (87% vs 99.1%; P < .0001) and greater postoperative side-to-side posterior translation (4.9 ± 4.3 mm) when compared with operative management.

Conclusion

Although nonoperative and surgical management of PCL tibial avulsion fractures resulted in high rates of fracture union and improvement in functional outcome scores and a low incidence of complications, nonoperative treatment yielded a high side-to-side posterior displacement (>4 mm) with a lower rate of fracture union compared to surgical treatment.

Arthroscopic fixation of chronic bicruciate tibial avulsion fractures: A case report

A cruciate ligament avulsion is a much less common form of injury than a cruciate ligament tear. Simultaneous tibial avulsion fractures of both cruciate ligaments occur even more rarely. Over the last decades, many studies have described arthroscopic fixation of acute cruciate tibial avulsion fractures, but arthroscopic treatment in a late presenting patient has not been reported in the literature. This case report presents a 32-year-old female with a chronic tibial avulsion fracture of both anterior cruciate ligament and posterior cruciate ligament. Simultaneous fixation of both fractures was performed arthroscopically at week four post-injury. At one year of follow-up, the patient had demonstrated full knee range of motion and stable knee with no complaints, and achieved excellent clinical outcomes. Radiographs showed union of both fractures, and the patient had resumed high-impact exercises.

Adjustable-Loop Cortical Button Fixation Results in Good Clinical Outcomes for Acute Tibial Avulsion Fracture of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament

Purpose

To evaluate the clinical outcomes for arthroscopic treatment of acute posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) avulsion fractures with adjustable-loop cortical button fixation device.

Methods

Patients with PCL tibial avulsion fractures treated with an adjustable-loop cortical button fixation device between October 2019 and October 2020 were retrospectively identified. Patients with type 1 were treated using plaster fixation as a conservative treatment, whereas patients with type 2 and 3 with displacement were treated using an arthroscopic adjustable-loop cortical button. Operating time, incision recovery, complications, and postoperative fracture healing time were monitored. All patient follow-up was done at 12 months' postoperatively. Lysholm Knee Score and the International Knee Documentation Committee score were used to assess knee function.

Results

A total of 30 patients were included in the study (20 male/10 female; mean age 45.5 years, range 35-68 years). The mean operative time was 67.5 minutes (range: 50-90 minutes). The postoperative incision healed at stage A without complications, such as medically induced vascular nerve injury, intra-articular hematoma, or infection. All 30 patients were tracked postoperatively for 12 to 14 months, with a mean follow-up period of 12.6 months. The Lysholm knee function score was 45.93 ± 6.15 before surgery and 87.10 ± 3.71 at 12 months after surgery, and the International Knee Documentation Committee score was 19.27 ± 4.40 before surgery and 95.47 ± 1.87 at 12 months after surgery, with a statistically significant difference.

Conclusions

The treatment of PCL avulsion fractures with arthroscopic adjustable-loop cortical button fixation is easy to perform and shows good clinical results in our study.

Level of Evidence

IV, therapeutic case series.

Arthroscopic Repair of the "Tibial Avulsion Triad"-ACL Posterolateral Bundle, PCL, and Lateral Meniscus Posterior Root: The Triple Tunnel Technique

Tibial avulsion fractures of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) are rare injuries that can be fixed either via and open or arthroscopic approach to restore native knee biomechanics. The advantage of arthroscopic fixation is the ability to treat concomitant intra-articular pathologies that are otherwise difficult to identify and manage via an open approach, such as medial meniscal root tears and avulsions. This technical note describes an all-arthroscopic technique of treating a rare and previously undescribed injury pattern consisting of PCL tibial and lateral meniscus posterior root bony avulsions and ACL posterolateral bundle tibial peel-off, termed the "tibial avulsion triad".

A simple arthroscopic technique for treatment of displaced “hinged” type of posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fractures

Background

The surgical technique for treatment of tibial avulsion fractures of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) remains challenging due to the deep-located lesion and the complexity of the anatomy. The purpose of this study was to report preliminary results of an arthroscopic technique in patients with the “hinged” type PCL tibial avulsion fractures.

Methods

Twenty-eight patients with the displaced “hinged” fractures with elevation of the posterior aspect of the bony fragment were arthroscopically treated. The bony fragment was reducted and fixed with the sutures passing through only one single tibial tunnel. The clinical outcomes were assessed by Lysholm score, Tegner activity score, and the side-to-side differences of KT-1000 measurement. The reduction and union of the fracture were assessed by radiography of the knee.

Results

Patients were followed up for a mean of 19 (12 to 24) months. There were no surgery-related complications, and all patients regained normal range of motion of the knees at the last follow-up. The Lysholm score significantly increased from preoperative 14.78 ± 8.23 to postoperative 96.96 ± 3.62 (P = 0.000). The Tegner score was 6.78 ± 1.35 pre-injury and 6.48 ± 1.20 at the last follow-up with no statistical difference (P = 0.688). The KT-1000 side-to-side differences significantly decreased from 8.26(SD 1.86; 6 to 12) pre-operatively to 0.91 (SD 0.85; 0 to 3) (P = 0.000). X-rays showed that satisfactory reduction and solid union was achieved in all patients.

Conclusion

The arthroscopic suture fixation through single-tibial tunnel technique yielded good clinical and radiographic outcome for treatment of displaced “hinged” type of PCL avulsion fractures.

Minimally invasive versus traditional inverted "L" approach for posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fractures: a retrospective study

Purpose

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a minimally invasive arthroscopic approach and to compare it with the traditional inverted "L" approach for the treatment of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) avulsion fractures.

Methods

From January 2016 to January 2020, the clinical data from patients with PCL avulsion fracture of the tibial insertion were analyzed retrospectively. They were divided into two groups based on surgical approaches: minimally invasive approach group (n = 15) and traditional inverted "L" group (n = 15 cases). The operation time, incision length, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization time and complications were all recorded and compared between the two groups. The fracture healing time, knee range of motion (ROM), and residual relaxation degree were compared between the two groups after regular follow-up. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Lysholm scores were used to assess knee joint function.

Results

There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender, age, side, body mass index, cause of injury, Meyers McKeever classification and time from injury to operation (P > 0.05). The incision length and intraoperative bleeding in the minimally invasive group were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those in the traditional group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of operative time, fracture healing time, or residual relaxation (P > 0.05). The Lachman test and posterior drawer test were both negative, and there were no postoperative complications. The VAS pain score within 2 weeks and ROM within 4 weeks in the minimally invasive group were significantly better (P < 0.05) than those in the traditional inverted "L" approach group. The knee joint stability of both groups was good 12 months after surgery, and there were no significant differences in IKDC score, Lysholm score and ROM (P > 0.05) between the two groups.

Conclusion

The minimally invasive approaches for the treatment of PCL avulsion fractures provide adequate exposure without the surgical complications associated with traditional open surgical approaches. The procedure is safe, fast and minimally invasive, and does not need a long learning curve.

Editorial Commentary: Suspensory Fixation of Displaced Tibial Posterior Cruciate Ligament Avulsions: A Novel Application of a Familiar Technique

Isolated tibial posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fractures, although rare, are becoming increasingly common in regions of the world with frequent 2-wheel motor vehicle accidents. Arthroscopic-assisted suture fixation has become a popular fixation method for these injuries. Suspensory metal button fixation of tibial posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fractures, although commonly used for other applications, has until recently been limited to isolated reports of a few patients.