Surgical management of multiple knee ligament injuries

To summarize our experience and mid-term results of reconstruction with Iliotibial tract grafts for multiple ligament injuries.

Between July 1997 and December 2003, multiple ligament injuries of 15 patients were reconstructed with Iliotibial tract grafts in arthroscopy. There were 5 women and 10 men. The mean age at the time of the surgery was 30.5 years (range 25-43 years). There were 7 cases who were injured with combined ACL rupture and the PCL, and 8 cases were with disruption of both the ACL and the PCL, combined with damage of the medial collateral ligament.

Fifteen patients were followed up for a mean of 7.5 years (range 6-12 years). The overall mean postoperative Lysholm score was 84.3 ± 5.7. At final IKDC qualification, 60.0 % of the knees were normal or nearly normal. The overall average Tegner activity score decreased significantly at the re-examination compared to the activity score before accident (3.6 ± 0.5 vs. 5.1 ± 0.6).

Reconstruction with Iliotibial tract grafts in arthroscopy was a reliable treatment for multiple ligament injuries.