Kinsella and colleagues retrospectively reviewed magnetic resonance imaging studies of the knee at a tertiary care childrens hospital for patients who were subjected to an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL) reconstruction without posterolateral corner (PLC) surgery. Overall, 50 patients with mean age 13.3 years at injury were evaluated. The study revealed the following findings:

• 52% had PLC injuries; 14% had a complete tear of a component of the PLC.
• No association between sex, Segond fracture, meniscus injury, or MCL injury with the risk of PLC injury.
• An association between patient age and PLC injury was noted.
• With each added year of age, the likelihood of PLC injury increased by 1.8 times.
• No association between PLC injury and ACL graft failure.

The current study has shown the prevalence of PLC injuries with concomitant ACL injuries in skeletally immature patients. Incomplete PLC injuries are quite common while complete PLC injuries are relatively uncommon. PLC injury was noted more commonly in older patients. No other concomitant injury predicted the odds of PLC injury.

Source: Kinsella SD, Rider SM, Fury MS, et al. Concomitant Posterolateral Corner Injuries in Skeletally Immature Patients With Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries. J Pediatr Orthop. 2019 Sep 12. doi: 10.1097/BPO.0000000000001450. [Epub ahead of print]