EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF POSTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURIES

Improved basic science data on the anatomy and biomechanics of the hum an posterior cruciate ligament have provided the orthopaedic surgeon w ith new information on which to base treatment decisions. Injuries to the posterior cruciate ligament are reported to comprise approximately 3% of all knee ligament injuries in the general population and as hig h as 37% in an emergency department setting. While the diagnosis of a posterior cruciate ligament injury can often be made with a physical e xamination, ancillary studies such as radiographs and magnetic resonan ce images can be very helpful in detecting associated ligament and bon y injuries. In general, most partial (grades I and II) posterior cruci ate ligament injuries can be treated nonoperatively, However, surgical reconstruction is usually recommended for those posterior cruciate li gament injuries that occur in combination with other structures. In th is review, current surgical techniques of posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction based on anatomic and biomechanical studies will be dis cussed.