Both repair and reconstruction of posterolateral corner injuries yielded acceptable outcomes

Issue: September 2017

Robert G. Marx

TORONTO — Data from the Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network study showed similar outcomes at 6-year follow-up for 34 patients who underwent either posterolateral corner repair or reconstruction and also had an ACL repair between 2002 and 2008. However, Robert G. Marx, MD, MSc, FRCSC, who presented the results at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting, noted that patients with a posterolateral corner reconstruction showed lower activity levels after their reconstructions than patients who had a repair of this structure.

“Repair or reconstruction of the lateral side is controversial with a trend toward reconstruction in the recent literature,” Marx said. He and his colleagues hypothesized there would not be a difference between a reconstructed or repaired posterolateral corner (PLC), he said.

In all, there were 15 repairs and 19 reconstructions of the PLC performed. For the reconstruction procedures, which Marx said were done in one stage, 18 allografts and one autograft were used.

He also noted the reconstructions were performed about 100 days after injury compared to the repairs, which were performed about 19 days after injury.

“That was significant statistically,” Marx said.

In terms of revisions, the one revision needed by a patient in the repair group involved revision to a PLC reconstruction. One patient in the reconstruction group required an ACL revision, according to Marx, but he said that surgery did not involve revising the initial PLC reconstruction.

“At 6 years, the patient-reported outcomes were the same, basically. No difference,” he said. – by Susan M. Rapp

Reference:

Westermann RW, et al. Paper #161. Presented at: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting; July 20-23, 2017; Toronto.

Disclosure: Marx reports no relevant financial disclosures.