SURGICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF SEVERE CHRONIC POSTEROLATERAL COMPLEX INJURIES OF THE KNEE USING ALLOGRAFT TISSUES

We report for the first time a reconstructive procedure of the postero lateral complex using allograft tissue to restore fibular collateral l igament function. The procedure is designed for knees where insufficie nt soft tissues are present and suitable autogenous graft tissues are not available. Twenty consecutive patients were studied; all returned for follow-up evaluation a mean of 42 months (range, 24 to 73) after s urgery. The results were evaluated with the use of a comprehensive sub jective and objective system that rated 20 factors. The success rate f or the operative procedure was 76% (16 of 21 operations) as judged by knee stability examination and stress radiographs. Three of the recons tructions showed partial stretching and two failed. There was signific ant improvement from preoperative to follow-up scores of functional li mitations in sports activities (P < 0.05), symptoms (P < 0.01), and ov erall scores (P < 0.0001). The immediate knee motion and rehabilitatio n program restored 0 degrees to 135 degrees of motion in all knees and was not deleterious to the reconstructions.