Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of the anterolateral ligament (ALL) injuries and its role in rotatory laxity in acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-injured knees.
Methods: Two-hundred and ninety-six consecutive patients with acute ACL injuries were evaluated retrospectively, excluding those with other ligament injury and undetectable path of ALL in MRI. Patients were divided into two groups based on the degree of ACL injury in arthroscopy (complete versus partial group). Logistic regression and discriminant analysis were performed to assess the risk of pivot shift test.
Results: A total of 169 patients were included (128 with complete and 41 with partial ACL rupture). Overall, 106/169 (62.7%) of ALL injuries were characterized, 87/128 (67.9%) in complete group, and 19/41 (46.3%) in partial group. The incidence of pivot shift was 120/128 (93.8%) and 14/41 (34.1%) in the complete and partial groups, respectively. The odds ratio in the pivot shift of combined ALL injury was found as 3.8 (95% CI 1.8-8.4) with the overall ACL injury, but higher as 17.1 (95% CI 3.1-96.4) with partial group. Higher grade of pivot shift showed a greater incidence of injury of ALL. Degree of ACL injury and ALL injury allowed 87.0% of correct classification of subsequent anterolateral rotatory laxity.
Conclusion: Injury to the ALL could have a synergetic effect on anterolateral rotatory laxity in acute ACL-injured knee, however, its effect might be minor in case of complete tear. Careful assessment about combined ALL injury should be considered, especially in knees with high-grade pivot shift in acute ACL-injured knees.
Level of evidence: Retrospective prognostic study, Level IV.
Keywords: Acute anterior cruciate ligament injury; Anterior cruciate ligament; Anterolateral ligament; Knee; Pivot shift.