38 – EVALUATION OF RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY USING ARTIFICIAL LIGAMENTS IN 56 ACUTE KNEE DISLOCATIONS

Abstract

Purpose: Knee dislocation, although very rare, remains a devastating injury with many complications because of the complex nature of this trauma. The best treatment for knee dislocation is yet to be determined. The purposes of the study were to describe our surgical method, to report our results and to compare them with those of other surgical reconstruction techniques for knee dislocation.

Method: Fifty-six (56) patients with knee dislocation underwent acute combined reparation and reconstruction using Ligament Advancement Reinforcement System (LARS) artificial ligament. Patients were divided in three different groups according to the follow-up period. Group 1 (G1) included patients with a follow-up between two and six months post-op, group 2 (G2) involved patients with a follow-up between six months and twenty-four (24) months and group 3 (G3) was composed of patients who had a follow-up between twenty-four (24) and ninety-one (91) months.

Results: There was a significant difference between G1 and G3 for the Lysholm score and for the posterior stability at 90o of flexion measured with the Telos.

Conclusion: The subjective and objective findings from our series are satisfactory and comparable to the results of other series of knee dislocations. Our findings suggest that with a follow-up at seven years, acute combined reparation and reconstruction with LARS ligaments is a valid alternative for the treatment of knee dislocation.