Multiligamentous knee surgery has low intraoperative, high postoperative complication rate
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
According to published results, multiligamentous knee reconstruction is associated with low intraoperative and high early postoperative complication rates.
Derek P. Axibal, MD, and colleagues retrospectively analyzed data from 296 patients (301 knees) who underwent concurrent knee reconstructions of at least two ligaments between 2005 and 2019. Primary outcome measures were intraoperative and 90-day postoperative complication rates.
Overall, Axibal and colleagues recorded 11 intraoperative complications in nine knees (3% rate) and 136 postoperative complications in 90 knees (30% rate).
Further analysis revealed several other associations between multiligamentous knee surgery and complications. According to the study, a shorter time between injury and surgery was associated with arthrofibrosis and superficial wound infections. A procedural time of greater than 300 minutes was associated with intraoperative blood transfusions, deep infections and arthrofibrosis. Inside-out meniscal repair was associated with superficial and deep infections. Tibial-based posterolateral corner (PLC) reconstruction was associated with symptomatic hardware and arthrofibrosis. Posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction was associated with deep infections, arthrofibrosis and postoperative blood transfusions.
“Our 15-year data reveal there is a low intraoperative complication rate and high early postoperative complication rate with multiligamentous knee surgery,” the researchers wrote in the study. “Surgeons should be wary of the increased intraoperative and postoperative complications associated with longer procedure times, inside-out meniscal repair, tibial-based PLC reconstruction, PCL reconstruction and shorter time to surgery.”
Collapse
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts