MULTI-LIGAMENT KNEE RECONSTRUCTION AND NOVEL MENISCUS RADIAL REPAIR TECHNIQUE, WITH RETURN TO OLYMPIC LEVEL SKIING: A...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Sports medicine
• Knee biomechanics

Background:

• Multi-ligament knee injuries (MLKI) are severe, potentially career-ending for athletes.
• Limited evidence exists on return to sport (RTS) after MLKI, focusing more on daily activities.
• This report addresses the gap in understanding RTS following complex knee injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the treatment and outcome of a severe MLKI in an elite athlete.
• To evaluate the efficacy of a novel meniscus radial repair technique.
• To document the athlete's return to competition following surgical reconstruction.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a 28-year-old Olympic alpine skier with a severe MLKI.
• Injury involved complete ACL and LCL tears, complex meniscus tears, and nerve injury.
• Anatomic single-stage multi-ligament reconstruction with a novel meniscus radial repair was performed.

Main Results:

• The athlete initiated return to snow at 7 months postoperatively.
• Successful meniscus repair healing confirmed by MRI at 10 months.
• Athlete passed functional tests at 10 months and competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics at 14 months.

Conclusions:

• Anatomic single-stage MLKI reconstruction with novel meniscus repair enables safe and timely return to elite competition.
• This approach offers a viable option for athletes with severe knee injuries.
• Highlights the potential for high-level athletic recovery post-complex knee surgery.