Skip to content

Patients › Knee

Loạn sản rãnh ròng rọc và phẫu thuật tạo hình rãnh ròng rọc

Updated Sep 2026
Illustration: knee

Trang này được dịch bằng máy và chưa được bác sĩ kiểm tra. Bản tiếng Anh là bản chính thức.

Lý do phẫu thuật này được đề xuất

Phẫu thuật tạo hình rãnh ròng rọc được chỉ định khi rãnh nằm phía sau xương bánh chè quá phẳng, khiến xương bánh chè liên tục bị trượt ra ngoài. Rãnh này được gọi là rãnh ròng rọc (trochlea); khi nó không hình thành đúng cách thì gọi là loạn sản rãnh ròng rọc. Phẫu thuật này nhằm định hình lại rãnh sao cho có thể giữ xương bánh chè vững chắc hơn.

Phẫu thuật này thường được chỉ định cho những người có rãnh ròng rọc bị phẳng nghiêm trọng và vẫn tiếp tục gặp phải tình trạng mất ổn định của xương bánh chè. Nó cũng có thể là lựa chọn cho một số thanh thiếu niên vẫn còn các vùng sụn tăng trưởng chưa đóng kín, và có thể thực hiện mà không ảnh hưởng đến quá trình tăng trưởng về sau. Mục tiêu của ca phẫu thuật là giúp xương bánh chè ổn định, giảm đau đớn, đồng thời cải thiện chức năng vận động trong sinh hoạt hàng ngày và khi tham gia thể thao.

Trước khi phẫu thuật

Sau khi đặt lịch phẫu thuật, đội ngũ của chúng tôi sẽ cung cấp cho bạn những hướng dẫn rõ ràng để bạn biết chính xác cần làm gì. Bạn phải ngừng ăn và uống 7 giờ trước khi phẫu thuật. Chúng tôi yêu cầu thời gian 7 giờ thay vì 6 giờ để giờ mổ của bạn có thể được đưa lên sớm hơn nếu lịch mổ diễn ra sớm hơn dự kiến. Bác sĩ phẫu thuật sẽ chỉ định những loại thuốc thường dùng của bạn cần ngừng uống và thời điểm ngừng; vì vậy hãy mang theo danh sách ghi rõ tất cả các loại thuốc bạn đang dùng, kể cả các thuốc chống đông máu. Hãy sắp xếp người đưa đón về nhà sau phẫu thuật vì bạn sẽ không được tự lái xe. Vào ngày phẫu thuật, hãy mặc quần áo rộng rãi và thoải mái. Nếu bạn mắc các bệnh lý khác, có thể bạn sẽ cần làm xét nghiệm máu hoặc được bác sĩ gây mê khám; tuy nhiên hầu hết mọi người đều không cần.

Vào ngày phẫu thuật

Bạn sẽ đến khu vực tiếp nhận bệnh nhân phẫu thuật của bệnh viện, nơi bạn sẽ được làm thủ tục nhập viện và chuẩn bị cho ca mổ. Sau đó, bạn sẽ gặp bác sĩ gây mê. Ca phẫu thuật này được thực hiện dưới gây mê toàn thân. Đôi khi người ta còn sử dụng phương pháp chặn dây thần kinh vùng để giảm đau sau phẫu thuật; bác sĩ gây mê sẽ trao đổi với bạn về vấn đề này vào ngày hôm đó. Tiếp theo, bạn sẽ được đưa vào phòng mổ để tiến hành ca phẫu thuật.

Bạn sẽ tỉnh dậy tại khu vực hồi sức, nơi các điều dưỡng sẽ theo dõi tình trạng sức khỏe của bạn cho đến khi tác dụng của thuốc mê hết. Khi tình trạng sức khỏe ổn định, bạn sẽ được chuyển đến khu nội trú hoặc về nhà, tùy thuộc vào loại phẫu thuật và diễn biến hồi phục của bạn.

Quy trình phẫu thuật

Phẫu thuật tạo hình rãnh ròng rọc nhằm định hình lại rãnh phía sau xương bánh chè, giúp giữ xương bánh chè vững chắc hơn. Bác sĩ phẫu thuật sẽ thực hiện ca mổ qua một đường rạch ở phía trước đầu gối. Rãnh này sẽ được làm sâu và định hình lại cho gần với hình dạng bình thường hơn. Nhờ đó, xương bánh chè có thể nằm vững và di chuyển trong rãnh mới thay vì bị trượt ra ngoài.

Một số bệnh nhân cần thực hiện nhiều thủ thuật cùng lúc. Việc định hình lại rãnh thường được kết hợp với việc sửa chữa hoặc tái tạo dây chằng nhằm giữ vững xương bánh chè từ phía trong khớp gối. Trong trường hợp bản thân xương đùi bị xoắn vặn, bác sĩ có thể cắt xương và xoay về vị trí tốt hơn, điều này cũng giúp giữ xương bánh chè đi đúng đường. Bác sĩ phẫu thuật sẽ giải thích những phương pháp nào phù hợp với tình trạng của bạn, vì mỗi ca phẫu thuật đều được điều chỉnh tùy theo hình dạng khớp gối riêng biệt.

Sau phẫu thuật, vết mổ được khâu lại và băng bó cẩn thận. Bạn sẽ tỉnh dậy tại phòng hồi sức với đầu gối đã được băng bó và cố định; đội ngũ y tế sẽ hướng dẫn cách chăm sóc vết thương trước khi bạn xuất viện.

Sau khi phẫu thuật

Bạn sẽ tỉnh dậy tại khu vực hồi sức, sau đó sẽ được chuyển sang phòng bệnh khi tình trạng ổn định. Các điều dưỡng sẽ theo dõi sát sao và cho bạn dùng thuốc giảm đau để bạn cảm thấy thoải mái. Đầu gối của bạn sẽ được băng bó và cố định; đội ngũ bác sĩ của chúng tôi sẽ hướng dẫn cách chăm sóc vết thương trước khi bạn xuất viện. Chúng tôi để băng gạc trên vết thương khoảng 10 ngày; vui lòng không tự ý tháo băng ra trước thời hạn đó trừ khi có chỉ định của bác sĩ. Chúng tôi sẽ thay hoặc gỡ băng gạc khi khám lại cho bạn. Bạn sẽ được khuyến khích đứng dậy và đi lại dưới sự hỗ trợ, thường là ngay trong ngày đầu tiên. Trong 24 giờ đầu sau khi ra viện, cần có người ở bên cạnh bạn. Đội ngũ y tế sẽ thông báo cho bạn biết là bạn có thể về nhà ngay hay phải ở lại viện qua đêm.

Quá trình hồi phục

Trong những ngày đầu sau phẫu thuật, đầu gối của bạn sẽ cảm thấy đau và sưng. Việc dùng thuốc giảm đau sẽ giúp bạn cảm thấy dễ chịu hơn; đồng thời việc nâng cao chân lên khi nghỉ ngơi cũng giúp giảm sưng. Việc chườm đá cũng có thể làm dịu cơn khó chịu. Thông thường, tình trạng sưng sẽ dần thuyên giảm trong vòng vài tuần đầu.

Ban đầu, bạn sẽ có thể đứng dậy và đi lại với sự hỗ trợ, thường là ngay trong ngày đầu tiên. Chuyên viên vật lý trị liệu sẽ hướng dẫn bạn các bài tập nhằm phục hồi khả năng vận động và tăng cường sức mạnh cho các cơ đùi. Những bài tập này quan trọng không kém gì chính ca phẫu thuật; vì vậy hãy thực hiện đúng theo hướng dẫn. Bạn có thể di chuyển quanh nhà, nhưng hãy từ từ và tuân thủ lời khuyên của đội ngũ y tế về mức độ trọng lượng được phép đặt lên chân.

Khi tình trạng sưng giảm và khả năng vận động trở lại, các hoạt động hàng ngày sẽ trở nên dễ dàng hơn. Việc đi cầu thang, đứng lâu hơn hay gập đầu gối cũng sẽ trở nên tự nhiên dần theo thời gian. Bạn có thể lái xe sau khi được bác sĩ phẫu thuật cho phép; đồng thời có thể quay lại làm việc và tham gia các hoạt động thể thao khi sức mạnh và sự tự tin của bạn được phục hồi. Những người có rãnh ròng rọc bị phẳng nghiêm trọng hơn đôi khi cần thêm một chút thời gian mới có thể trở lại tập luyện thể thao.

Quá trình hồi phục ở mỗi người là khác nhau. Thời gian hồi phục của bạn có thể khác đi; bác sĩ phẫu thuật và chuyên viên vật lý trị liệu sẽ hướng dẫn bạn từng bước trong suốt quá trình này.

Những biến chứng có thể xảy ra

Hầu hết bệnh nhân đều hồi phục tốt, nhưng đôi khi vẫn có thể gặp phải các vấn đề. Bác sĩ phẫu thuật và đội ngũ y tế sẽ theo dõi sát sao để phát hiện sớm bất kỳ dấu hiệu bất thường nào.

Sau phẫu thuật, xương bánh chè vẫn có thể bị trượt hoặc cảm thấy không ổn định. Bạn có thể nhận thấy đầu gối bị khuỵu do xương bánh chè trượt, hoặc có cảm giác nó lại đang lệch ra khỏi vị trí. Nếu điều này xảy ra, hãy thông báo cho bác sĩ phẫu thuật trong lần tái khám tiếp theo, hoặc gọi cho phòng khám sớm hơn nếu đầu gối cứ bị khuỵu.

Bề mặt khớp phía sau xương bánh chè có thể bị mòn theo thời gian. Tình trạng này được gọi là viêm khớp do hao mòn, và có thể ảnh hưởng đến vùng trước đầu gối sau ca phẫu thuật. Bạn có thể cảm thấy đau âm ỉ, nhức nhối ở phía trước đầu gối, hoặc nghe thấy tiếng lục cục, tiếng cọ xát khi gập đầu gối. Cơn đau có thể tăng nặng khi đi cầu thang, ngồi xổm hoặc ngồi lâu. Nếu nhận thấy những triệu chứng này, hãy trao đổi với bác sĩ phẫu thuật trong lần tái khám để được đánh giá tình trạng khớp.

Việc chỉnh hình rãnh nơi xương bánh chè nằm cũng có thể ảnh hưởng đến lớp sụn bao phủ xương. Sụn là lớp mô mịn, trơn tru giúp xương bánh chè di chuyển dễ dàng. Nếu lớp sụn bị ảnh hưởng, bạn có thể cảm thấy đầu gối bị kẹt, có tiếng cọ xát hoặc sưng tấy. Hãy báo cho bác sĩ phẫu thuật biết về bất kỳ triệu chứng nào để được kiểm tra kỹ lưỡng.

Một số bệnh nhân thực hiện thêm các thủ thuật khác cùng lúc, chẳng hạn như di chuyển điểm gắn của gân phía dưới xương bánh chè, có thể gặp nhiều biến chứng hơn sau phẫu thuật. Bác sĩ phẫu thuật sẽ giải thích rõ những phần nào của ca mổ áp dụng cho bạn và những dấu hiệu cần chú ý.

Đối với các thiếu niên vẫn còn các vùng sụn tăng trưởng chưa đóng kín, ca phẫu thuật này không ảnh hưởng đến quá trình phát triển về sau. Điều này đã được xác nhận qua các bệnh nhân trẻ được phẫu thuật vì tình trạng xương bánh chè thường xuyên bị trật khớp.

Nếu bạn nhận thấy bất kỳ dấu hiệu bất thường nào như đau mới xuất hiện, sưng phù hoặc cảm giác đầu gối không ổn định, hãy liên hệ với phòng khám. Bảng liệt kê các biến chứng ở trang này cung cấp tỷ lệ xảy ra của từng vấn đề nếu bạn muốn biết chi tiết.

Khi nào nên gọi cho chúng tôi

Hãy gọi cho chúng tôi nếu bạn bị sốt, hoặc nếu vùng da quanh vết thương trở nên đỏ hơn, sưng lên hoặc có dịch chảy ra. Hãy gọi nếu cơn đau của bạn đột nhiên trở nên dữ dội hơn, hoặc nếu bắp chân bị sưng và đau nhức. Hãy đến phòng cấp cứu nếu bạn thấy khó thở, hoặc nếu mất cảm giác ở chân hoặc không thể cử động được chân. Những triệu chứng này cần được kiểm tra ngay lập tức. Nếu có bất kỳ điều gì khiến bạn lo lắng, hãy gọi cho phòng khám. Chúng tôi muốn được biết về điều đó sớm.


Evidence & references

This is the clinical evidence summary written for health professionals. It is technical, and it lists the research this page was built from. You do not need to read it to understand your treatment or to make a decision about it.

Anatomy & Pathophysiology

Bony Anatomy

  • The bones of the knee are the distal femur, the proximal tibia, and the patella [1].
  • The medial femoral condyle is larger and projects farther posteriorly and distally than the lateral condyle [3].
  • The lateral femoral condyle projects farther anteriorly and is wider in the medial-lateral direction than the medial femoral condyle [3].
  • The trochlear groove separates the two condyles anteriorly and constitutes the patellofemoral articulation [3].
  • The sulcus terminalis is a small ridge on the lateral femoral condyle just distal to the intercondylar notch that separates the patellofemoral and tibiofemoral articular surfaces [3].
  • The intercondylar notch is of variable width and is the site of attachment of the cruciate ligaments [3].
  • The lateral trochlear facet resists lateral subluxation of the patella [17].
  • The sulcus terminalis is a transverse ridge extending from the oblique facets of the femoral trochlea that is deeper on the lateral condyle than on the medial condyle [17].
  • The patella is the largest sesamoid bone in the body [3].
  • The patella averages 2.5 cm in thickness [3].
  • The patella has the thickest articular surface in the body, approximately 5 mm in the midportion and 2 mm on the sides [3].
  • The patellar articular surface contains a vertical, central ridge that separates the broader lateral facet from the medial facet, and a smaller, more medial facet called the odd facet [3].
  • The tibial articular surface slopes 7° to 10° in the sagittal plane [3].
  • The medial tibial plateau is larger than the lateral plateau and is concave in its frontal and sagittal planes [3].
  • The lateral tibial plateau is smaller and more circular than the medial plateau, concave in the frontal plane and convex in the sagittal plane [3].
  • The posterior slope of the tibia is a mean of 10.7° in the medial plateau and 7.2° in the lateral plateau [17].
  • The tibial tuberosity is the site of attachment of the patellar tendon and is typically located in the midline anteriorly but may be slightly lateral [3].
  • Gerdy’s tubercle is the insertion site of the iliotibial band and is located 2 to 3 cm lateral to the tibial tubercle on the proximal tibia [3].

Ligaments

  • The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) travels from the medial border of the lateral femoral condyle to its insertion site anterolateral to the medial tibial spine [1].
  • The ACL prevents anterior translation and rotation of the tibia on the femur [1].
  • The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) prevents posterior subluxation of the tibia on the femur [1].
  • The PCL runs from the lateral aspect of the medial femoral condyle to the posterior aspect of the tibia, just below the joint line [1].
  • The medial collateral ligament has superficial and deep portions which stabilize the knee to valgus stresses [1].
  • The lateral collateral or fibular collateral ligament runs from the lateral femoral condyle to the head of the fibula and is the main stabilizer against varus stress [1].
  • The popliteofibular ligament is present in 90% of knees and runs from the tendon of the popliteus muscle to the styloid on the posterior fibular head [1].
  • The ACL is composed of 90% type I collagen and 10% type III collagen [3].
  • The mean length of the ACL is 33 mm and the mean midsubstance width is 11 mm [3].
  • The femoral attachment of the ACL is a semicircular area (20 mm long and 10 mm wide) on the posteromedial aspect of the lateral femoral condyle [3].
  • The tibial attachment of the ACL is a broad, irregular, oval-shaped area (30 mm long and 10 mm wide) slightly medial and anterior to the midline and between the medial and lateral tibial spinous processes [3].
  • The ACL consists of anteromedial and posterolateral functional bundles [7].
  • The anteromedial bundle of the ACL is tighter in knee flexion [7].
  • The posterolateral bundle of the ACL is tighter in extension [7].
  • The PCL has a mean length of 38 mm and a mean width of 13 mm [17].
  • The femoral attachment of the PCL is a broad, crescent-shaped area on the anterolateral medial femoral condyle with a mean length of 30 mm and mean width of 5 mm [17].
  • The tibial insertion of the PCL onto the posterior central sulcus is 10 to 15 mm distal to the joint line of the knee [17].
  • The anterolateral bundle of the PCL is stronger and stiffer than the posteromedial bundle [17].
  • The anterolateral bundle of the PCL is tight in knee flexion [17].
  • The posteromedial bundle of the PCL is tight in knee extension [17].
  • The medial patellofemoral ligament runs from the patella near the junction of the middle and superior thirds to the medial femoral epicondyle [6].
  • The medial patellofemoral ligament is more important for patellar stability than other structures in that region [6].

Menisci

  • The menisci are C-shaped fibrocartilaginous disks in the knee that provide shock absorption, allow for increased congruency between joint surfaces, enhance joint stability, and aid in distribution of synovial fluid [1].
  • The medial meniscus is firmly attached to the joint capsule along its entire peripheral edge [1].
  • The lateral meniscus is attached to the anterior and posterior capsule, but there is a region posterolaterally where it is not firmly attached [1].
  • The medial meniscus has less mobility than the lateral meniscus and is more susceptible to tearing when trapped between the femoral condyle and tibial plateau [1].
  • The lateral meniscus is larger than the medial meniscus and carries a greater share of the lateral compartment pressure than the medial meniscus carries for the medial compartment [1].
  • The medial meniscus has a semicircular shape, which covers approximately 50% to 60% of the medial tibial plateau in adulthood [13].
  • The posterior horn of the medial meniscus averages 11 mm in the anterior-posterior dimension [13].
  • The lateral meniscus has a more circular C-shape with symmetric sizes of the anterior and posterior horns [13].
  • The popliteomeniscal fascicles extend from the lateral meniscus to the posterior capsule to create the popliteal hiatus [13].
  • The meniscofemoral ligaments are variably present structures which connect the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus to the medial femoral condyle [13].
  • The ligament of Humphrey crosses anterior to the PCL and the ligament of Wrisberg crosses posteriorly [13].
  • The less continuous attachment of the lateral meniscus to the capsule allows for greater meniscal mobility [13].
  • Mean lateral meniscus excursion is 11.2 mm versus a mean medial meniscus excursion of 5.1 mm occurring from knee extension to flexion [13].
  • Menisci have three zones discernible based on vasculature and extracellular matrix composition: white-white (ww), red-white (rw), and red-red (rr) [13].
  • The inner one-third of the meniscus is avascular and called the white-white zone [13].
  • The middle zone is called the red-white zone because it has limited vasculature [13].
  • The back one-third is called the red-red zone because it is the most vascularized tissue region that has access to blood supply through vessels arising from the geniculate arteries [13].
  • Vascular supply to the menisci is derived from the geniculate arteries, which penetrate into 20% to 30% of the peripheral medial meniscus and 10% to 25% of the peripheral lateral meniscus [17].

Vascular and Nerve Anatomy

  • The blood supply to the knee is formed from an anastomosis around the knee derived from the descending geniculate artery, medial and lateral superior geniculate arteries, medial and lateral inferior geniculate arteries, middle geniculate artery, and anterior tibial recurrent arteries [3].
  • The middle geniculate artery supplies both the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments [3].
  • The inferior geniculate arteries pass deep to their respective collateral ligaments [3].
  • The blood supply of the patella is derived from the geniculate artery complex with some contribution from the anterior tibial recurrent artery and primarily exists in the middle to inferior portions of the patella [3].
  • The knee is innervated by branches of the femoral nerve (L2, L3, L4), obturator nerve (L2, L3, L4), and sciatic nerve (L4, L5, S1, S2) [3].
  • The largest nerve providing innervation of the intra-articular knee is the posterior articular branch of the tibial nerve [3].
  • The posterior articular branch of the tibial nerve supplies the infrapatellar fat pad, the synovial covering over the cruciate ligaments, and the periphery of the meniscus [3].
  • Nerves to the cruciate ligaments contain vasomotor and pain fibers as well as mechanoreceptors that may be involved in proprioception [3].
  • The infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve arises proximal to the knee joint medially and crosses distal to the patella to innervate the skin over the region of the anterior knee and proximal tibia [3].

Kinetics and Joint Forces

  • The knee is a hinge joint that also incorporates both gliding and rolling, which are essential to its kinematics [4].
  • The "screw-home" mechanism involves the tibia externally rotating 5 degrees in the final 15 degrees of extension [4].
  • The ACL is typically subjected to peak loads of 170 N during walking and up to 500 N with running [18].
  • The ultimate strength of the ACL in young patients is about 1750 N [18].
  • ACL failures occur by serial tearing at 10% to 15% elongation [18].
  • Sectioning the PCL increases contact pressures in the medial compartment and the patellofemoral joint [18].
  • Knee joint surface loads are three times body weight during level walking and up to four times body weight with stair walking [18].
  • The menisci help with load transmission and bear one-third to one-half body weight [18].
  • Removal of the menisci increases contact stresses, with up to four times the load transfer to bone [18].
  • The quadriceps produces maximum anterior force on the tibia at 0 to 60 degrees of knee flexion [18].
  • The patella aids in knee extension by increasing the lever arm and stress distribution [18].
  • The patella has the thickest cartilage in the entire body and bears the greatest load [18].
  • The patella bears half the body weight with normal walking and seven times the body weight with squatting and jogging [18].
  • Patellofemoral loads are proportional to the ratio of quadriceps force to knee flexion [18].
  • In descending stairs, compressive force in the patellofemoral joint reaches two to three times body weight [18].
  • Patellectomy decreases the length of the moment arm by the width of the patella and decreases the power of extension by 30% [18].

Investigations

Radiography

  • Plain radiographs are appropriate initial imaging studies for most knee conditions because they allow the assessment of traumatic injury, arthritis, patellofemoral alignment, osteochondral injury, bone neoplasm, and surgical implants [21].
  • Imaging studies should include at least two perpendicular views: AP and lateral [21].
  • Weight-bearing AP (extension) views are used to assess cartilage loss from the distal femur and tibial plateau [21].
  • Weight-bearing PA (Rosenberg; flexion) views are used to assess cartilage loss from the posterior femur and tibial plateau [21].
  • Patellofemoral views are used to assess patellofemoral alignment (tilt/subluxation), patellar and trochlear morphology, osteochondral injury, and patellofemoral arthritis [21].
  • The notch view is used to assess posterior femoral cartilage, notch width, and osteophytes [21].
  • Radiographs can underestimate isolated chondral lesions but may demonstrate joint space narrowing, osteophytes, sclerosis, and cysts [25].
  • Weight-bearing AP and lateral views and an axial view of the patellofemoral joint should be reviewed for articular cartilage evaluation [25].
  • The ability to detect subtle narrowing or an isolated chondral defect on the flexion surface may be improved with a semiflexed PA view [25].
  • Long leg alignment views are used to determine the mechanical axis [25].
  • If the mechanical axis traverses the involved compartment (varus knees with medial compartment lesions or valgus knees with lateral compartment lesions), realignment may need to be considered as an initial procedure or as an adjunct to a cartilage restorative procedure [25].
  • Radiographs should be inspected for acute fracture, lateral capsular avulsion (Segond fracture), loose bodies, Pellegrini-Stieda lesion (MCL calcification), and evidence of patellar dislocation [9].
  • Stress radiographs should be obtained in patients prior to skeletal maturity to rule out an epiphyseal fracture [9].
  • Radiographs are still the standard for initial evaluation of knee arthritis [29].
  • Images for knee arthritis evaluation should include weight-bearing AP and lateral views, a view of the weight-bearing knee flexed at 45-degree angle imaged posterior to anterior, a sunrise view (Merchant view), extension and flexion lateral views, and a standing full-length AP radiograph [29].
  • The Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) rating grades extent of OA based on review of AP knee radiograph [29].
  • Primary features used for KL rating include osteophytes (periarticular and tibial spine), joint space narrowing, subchondral sclerosis with or without subchondral cysts, and altered shape of periarticular bones [29].
  • KL Grade 0 indicates normal knee features with no OA [29].
  • KL Grade 1 indicates OA possibly present [29].
  • KL Grade 2 indicates OA present with minimal severity [29].
  • KL Grade 3 indicates OA present with moderate severity [29].
  • KL Grade 4 indicates OA present with severe severity [29].
  • Knee arthroplasty is recommended when Grade 4 findings are present [29].

Computed Tomography

  • Computed tomography provides a three-dimensional study with ionizing radiation that provides enhanced bone detail [21].
  • Imaging in the axial, sagittal, and coronal planes may help visualize fracture lines and displacement, osteolytic lesions around joint arthroplasty, and cortical disruption in cases of infection or neoplasia [21].
  • Three-dimensional reconstructions may help with preoperative planning for complex intra-articular fractures, multiplanar osteotomy for limb malalignment, and reconstitution of bone loss in joint arthroplasty [21].
  • Axial plane imaging of the hip and knee can help assess the rotational alignment of components of a total knee arthroplasty in cases of patellar maltracking [21].
  • Three-dimensional CT with remodeling is used for preoperative planning for reconstruction associated with dysplasia, post-trauma planning, and complex total knee arthroplasty (TKA) planning [29].

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

  • Increasing strength of the magnetic field (measured in Tesla units) increases the resolution of images [21].
  • An injected contrast agent (intravenous or intra-articular) may help delineate specific tissues of interest [21].
  • MRI may identify the degree of articular cartilage injury (chondrosis, full-thickness cartilage loss), the presence of associated bone marrow edema, and the location (medial condyle, lateral condyle, trochlea, patella; anterior, posterior) [21].
  • MRI can be used to evaluate articular cartilage morphology [25].
  • MRI is useful for confirming MCL injury and identifying the site of injury [9].
  • MRI is useful to detect the presence of meniscal and other injuries to the knee [9].
  • Relative indications for an MRI include an uncertain ACL status despite multiple examinations, evaluation of a suspected meniscal tear, or preoperative evaluation for a planned MCL reconstruction or repair [9].
  • MRI is often a useful adjunct for diagnosing posterolateral corner and LCL injuries in the severely injured knee [30].
  • MRI findings can refocus the examination to the posterolateral structures when pain and guarding at the time of injury obscure posterolateral injury [30].
  • MRI is grossly overused in the arthritic patient population [29].
  • If the joint space is significantly narrowed on radiograph, then MRI is not indicated [29].
  • MRI is used when osteonecrosis is suspected [29].
  • The presence of edema, intra-articular fluid, disruption of ligament fibers, and an atypical ligament contour may suggest cruciate ligament injury [21].
  • Patterns of meniscal injury can be identified by location (anterior, midbody, posterior, peripheral, articular), pattern (horizontal, longitudinal, radial, complex), and displacement [21].
  • Edema, avulsion, or discontinuity may be identified for the MCL/lateral collateral ligament (LCL) or associated posteromedial and posterolateral ligamentous complexes [21].
  • MRI may be used to assess the continuity of the quadriceps or patellar tendon [21].
  • MRI may be used to assess the margin of resection for a neoplasm, identify vascular malformation, or define the location of nerves or vessels relative to popliteal cysts [21].

Nuclear Medicine

  • Nuclear medicine involves labeled radionuclide injection followed by delayed imaging of gamma radiation [21].
  • Areas of increased radionuclide concentration appear bright or “hot” [21].
  • Nuclear medicine provides a nonspecific study that does not define the etiology of an abnormality but rather the presence of an abnormality that may correlate with a clinical concern [21].
  • Increased radionuclide activity in bone may be a normal postoperative finding for up to 6 to 12 months after a fracture repair or arthroplasty [21].
  • Technetium-99 (Tc-99) is a radionuclide that may help identify infection, neoplasia, occult fracture, bone healing, active phases of heterotopic ossification, implant loosening, or failure of osseointegration [21].
  • Gallium-67 (Ga-67) is a radionuclide that may help differentiate between aseptic and septic prosthetic loosening [21].
  • 24 to 72 hours are needed for a complete Gallium-67 study [21].

Physical Examination

  • The physical examination begins with observation of the patient’s gait [1].
  • The uninjured knee is examined as a basis of comparison with the injured knee [1].
  • Any swelling or effusion should be noted [1].
  • A small effusion will cause obliteration of the recesses on the medial and lateral aspects of the patellar tendon [1].
  • With a larger effusion, diffuse swelling is present in the region of the suprapatellar pouch [1].
  • A fluid wave can be palpated on the sides of the patella [1].
  • Active and then passive range of motion is tested carefully [1].
  • The knee is palpated to define areas of localized tenderness [1].
  • The joint lines are located at the level of the inferior pole of the patella when the knee is flexed to 90 degrees [1].
  • An effusion, motion deficits, or limb malalignment may be observed in patients with articular cartilage injuries [25].
  • Knee stability should be compared with the normal side in patients with articular cartilage injuries [25].
  • Laxity to valgus stresses is assessed by the amount of medial joint space opening that occurs at 30 degrees of flexion [9].
  • It is important to stress the knee at 30 degrees of flexion because with the knee in full extension the posterior capsule and PCL will stabilize the knee to valgus stress [9].
  • Zero opening is considered normal for MCL injury evaluation [9].
  • 1–4 mm of medial joint space opening indicates a grade I MCL injury [9].
  • 5–9 mm of medial joint space opening indicates a grade II MCL injury [9].
  • 10–15 mm of medial joint space opening indicates a complete or grade III MCL injury [9].
  • Grade I and II MCL injuries typically have a firm end point, whereas a grade III injury tends to have a soft end point to valgus stress [9].
  • The integrity of the LCL is assessed by placing a varus stress, with the knee in full extension and 30 degrees of flexion [30].
  • The average baseline for varus opening is 7 degrees [30].
  • Exam findings with an isolated LCL injury should include varus laxity at 30 degrees of flexion and no instability in full extension [30].
  • The dial test is the most useful test to evaluate for posterolateral instability [30].
  • The dial test is performed at 30 and 90 degrees of flexion with a significant difference being an angle 5 degrees or greater than the contralateral leg [30].
  • Injury to the posterolateral capsule alone is confirmed with greater external rotation at 30 degrees [30].
  • An isolated PCL injury is confirmed with greater external rotation at 90 degrees [30].
  • Injury to both posterolateral capsule and PCL is confirmed when there is greater rotation at 30 and 90 degrees compared to the uninjured leg [30].
  • A careful neurovascular examination should be performed as the incidence of neurovascular injury, particularly peroneal nerve injury, has been reported in 12–29% of posterolateral knee injuries [30].
  • An examination under anesthesia can be valuable when physical examination is unreliable because of the patient guarding the knee [9].
  • Diagnostic arthroscopy can be used to evaluate for coexisting pathology [9].
  • Both examination under anesthesia and diagnostic arthroscopy have largely been replaced by MRI [9].

References

[1] A Lange Medical Book Current Diagnosis Treatment In Orthopedics Fifth Edition. 3Sports Medicine > Image KNEE INJURIES.

[3] Aaos Comprehensive Orthopaedic Review 3. Anatomy and Biomechanics of the Knee > I. Anatomy.

[4] Miller S Review Of Orthopaedics. SECTION 1 KNEE > ANATOMY (FIG. 4.1).

[6] Campbell S Operative Orthopaedics 4 Volume Set. EXTRAARTICULAR LIGAMENTOUS STRUCTURES.

[7] Orthopaedic Knowledge Update Sports Medicine 6. Cruciate Ligament Injuries > Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury > Anatomy and Biomechanics.

[9] A Lange Medical Book Current Diagnosis Treatment In Orthopedics Fifth Edition. 3Sports Medicine > 1. Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries.

[13] Orthopaedic Basic Science Fifth Edition Print Ebook. Biology and Mechanics of the Skeletal Extracellular Matrix > Gross Anatomy.

[17] Aaos Comprehensive Orthopaedic Review 3. Radiographic Evaluation and Surgical Anatomy of the Knee > II. Surgical Anatomy of the Knee.

[18] Miller S Review Of Orthopaedics. ARTHRODESIS PERSON > Kinetics.

[21] Aaos Comprehensive Orthopaedic Review 3. Radiographic Evaluation and Surgical Anatomy of the Knee > I. Radiographic Evaluation.

[25] Aaos Comprehensive Orthopaedic Review 3. Articular Cartilage Injury and Treatment > IV. Full-­Thickness Outerbridge Grade IV Defects.

[29] Miller S Review Of Orthopaedics. SECTION 16 PATELLAR TRACKING IN TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY > SECTION 11 KNEE ARTHRITIS ASSESSMENT.

[30] A Lange Medical Book Current Diagnosis Treatment In Orthopedics Fifth Edition. 3Sports Medicine > 2. Lateral Collateral Ligament Injuries.

Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0

CC Creative Commons licence
BY Attribution — you must credit the source
NC NonCommercial — not for commercial use

Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International


Creative Commons Corporation ("Creative Commons") is not a law firm and does not provide legal services or legal advice. Distribution of Creative Commons public licenses does not create a lawyer-client or other relationship. Creative Commons makes its licenses and related information available on an "as-is" basis. Creative Commons gives no warranties regarding its licenses, any material licensed under their terms and conditions, or any related information. Creative Commons disclaims all liability for damages resulting from their use to the fullest extent possible.

Using Creative Commons Public Licenses

Creative Commons public licenses provide a standard set of terms and conditions that creators and other rights holders may use to share original works of authorship and other material subject to copyright and certain other rights specified in the public license below. The following considerations are for informational purposes only, are not exhaustive, and do not form part of our licenses.

Considerations for licensors: Our public licenses are intended for use by those authorized to give the public permission to use material in ways otherwise restricted by copyright and certain other rights. Our licenses are irrevocable. Licensors should read and understand the terms and conditions of the license they choose before applying it. Licensors should also secure all rights necessary before applying our licenses so that the public can reuse the material as expected. Licensors should clearly mark any material not subject to the license. This includes other CC- licensed material, or material used under an exception or limitation to copyright. More considerations for licensors: wiki.creativecommons.org/Considerations_for_licensors

Considerations for the public: By using one of our public licenses, a licensor grants the public permission to use the licensed material under specified terms and conditions. If the licensor's permission is not necessary for any reason--for example, because of any applicable exception or limitation to copyright--then that use is not regulated by the license. Our licenses grant only permissions under copyright and certain other rights that a licensor has authority to grant. Use of the licensed material may still be restricted for other reasons, including because others have copyright or other rights in the material. A licensor may make special requests, such as asking that all changes be marked or described. Although not required by our licenses, you are encouraged to respect those requests where reasonable. More considerations for the public: wiki.creativecommons.org/Considerations_for_licensees


Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Public License

By exercising the Licensed Rights (defined below), You accept and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Public License ("Public License"). To the extent this Public License may be interpreted as a contract, You are granted the Licensed Rights in consideration of Your acceptance of these terms and conditions, and the Licensor grants You such rights in consideration of benefits the Licensor receives from making the Licensed Material available under these terms and conditions.

Section 1 -- Definitions.

a. Adapted Material means material subject to Copyright and Similar Rights that is derived from or based upon the Licensed Material and in which the Licensed Material is translated, altered, arranged, transformed, or otherwise modified in a manner requiring permission under the Copyright and Similar Rights held by the Licensor. For purposes of this Public License, where the Licensed Material is a musical work, performance, or sound recording, Adapted Material is always produced where the Licensed Material is synched in timed relation with a moving image.

b. Adapter's License means the license You apply to Your Copyright and Similar Rights in Your contributions to Adapted Material in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Public License.

c. Copyright and Similar Rights means copyright and/or similar rights closely related to copyright including, without limitation, performance, broadcast, sound recording, and Sui Generis Database Rights, without regard to how the rights are labeled or categorized. For purposes of this Public License, the rights specified in Section 2(b)(1)-(2) are not Copyright and Similar Rights.

d. Effective Technological Measures means those measures that, in the absence of proper authority, may not be circumvented under laws fulfilling obligations under Article 11 of the WIPO Copyright Treaty adopted on December 20, 1996, and/or similar international agreements.

e. Exceptions and Limitations means fair use, fair dealing, and/or any other exception or limitation to Copyright and Similar Rights that applies to Your use of the Licensed Material.

f. Licensed Material means the artistic or literary work, database, or other material to which the Licensor applied this Public License.

g. Licensed Rights means the rights granted to You subject to the terms and conditions of this Public License, which are limited to all Copyright and Similar Rights that apply to Your use of the Licensed Material and that the Licensor has authority to license.

h. Licensor means the individual(s) or entity(ies) granting rights under this Public License.

i. NonCommercial means not primarily intended for or directed towards commercial advantage or monetary compensation. For purposes of this Public License, the exchange of the Licensed Material for other material subject to Copyright and Similar Rights by digital file-sharing or similar means is NonCommercial provided there is no payment of monetary compensation in connection with the exchange.

j. Share means to provide material to the public by any means or process that requires permission under the Licensed Rights, such as reproduction, public display, public performance, distribution, dissemination, communication, or importation, and to make material available to the public including in ways that members of the public may access the material from a place and at a time individually chosen by them.

k. Sui Generis Database Rights means rights other than copyright resulting from Directive 96/9/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 1996 on the legal protection of databases, as amended and/or succeeded, as well as other essentially equivalent rights anywhere in the world.

l. You means the individual or entity exercising the Licensed Rights under this Public License. Your has a corresponding meaning.

Section 2 -- Scope.

a. License grant.

1. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Public License, the Licensor hereby grants You a worldwide, royalty-free, non-sublicensable, non-exclusive, irrevocable license to exercise the Licensed Rights in the Licensed Material to:

a. reproduce and Share the Licensed Material, in whole or in part, for NonCommercial purposes only; and

b. produce, reproduce, and Share Adapted Material for NonCommercial purposes only.

2. Exceptions and Limitations. For the avoidance of doubt, where Exceptions and Limitations apply to Your use, this Public License does not apply, and You do not need to comply with its terms and conditions.

3. Term. The term of this Public License is specified in Section 6(a).

4. Media and formats; technical modifications allowed. The Licensor authorizes You to exercise the Licensed Rights in all media and formats whether now known or hereafter created, and to make technical modifications necessary to do so. The Licensor waives and/or agrees not to assert any right or authority to forbid You from making technical modifications necessary to exercise the Licensed Rights, including technical modifications necessary to circumvent Effective Technological Measures. For purposes of this Public License, simply making modifications authorized by this Section 2(a) (4) never produces Adapted Material.

5. Downstream recipients.

a. Offer from the Licensor -- Licensed Material. Every recipient of the Licensed Material automatically receives an offer from the Licensor to exercise the Licensed Rights under the terms and conditions of this Public License.

b. No downstream restrictions. You may not offer or impose any additional or different terms or conditions on, or apply any Effective Technological Measures to, the Licensed Material if doing so restricts exercise of the Licensed Rights by any recipient of the Licensed Material.

6. No endorsement. Nothing in this Public License constitutes or may be construed as permission to assert or imply that You are, or that Your use of the Licensed Material is, connected with, or sponsored, endorsed, or granted official status by, the Licensor or others designated to receive attribution as provided in Section 3(a)(1)(A)(i).

b. Other rights.

1. Moral rights, such as the right of integrity, are not licensed under this Public License, nor are publicity, privacy, and/or other similar personality rights; however, to the extent possible, the Licensor waives and/or agrees not to assert any such rights held by the Licensor to the limited extent necessary to allow You to exercise the Licensed Rights, but not otherwise.

2. Patent and trademark rights are not licensed under this Public License.

3. To the extent possible, the Licensor waives any right to collect royalties from You for the exercise of the Licensed Rights, whether directly or through a collecting society under any voluntary or waivable statutory or compulsory licensing scheme. In all other cases the Licensor expressly reserves any right to collect such royalties, including when the Licensed Material is used other than for NonCommercial purposes.

Section 3 -- License Conditions.

Your exercise of the Licensed Rights is expressly made subject to the following conditions.

a. Attribution.

1. If You Share the Licensed Material (including in modified form), You must:

a. retain the following if it is supplied by the Licensor with the Licensed Material:

i. identification of the creator(s) of the Licensed Material and any others designated to receive attribution, in any reasonable manner requested by the Licensor (including by pseudonym if designated);

ii. a copyright notice;

iii. a notice that refers to this Public License;

iv. a notice that refers to the disclaimer of warranties;

v. a URI or hyperlink to the Licensed Material to the extent reasonably practicable;

b. indicate if You modified the Licensed Material and retain an indication of any previous modifications; and

c. indicate the Licensed Material is licensed under this Public License, and include the text of, or the URI or hyperlink to, this Public License.

2. You may satisfy the conditions in Section 3(a)(1) in any reasonable manner based on the medium, means, and context in which You Share the Licensed Material. For example, it may be reasonable to satisfy the conditions by providing a URI or hyperlink to a resource that includes the required information.

3. If requested by the Licensor, You must remove any of the information required by Section 3(a)(1)(A) to the extent reasonably practicable.

4. If You Share Adapted Material You produce, the Adapter's License You apply must not prevent recipients of the Adapted Material from complying with this Public License.

Section 4 -- Sui Generis Database Rights.

Where the Licensed Rights include Sui Generis Database Rights that apply to Your use of the Licensed Material:

a. for the avoidance of doubt, Section 2(a)(1) grants You the right to extract, reuse, reproduce, and Share all or a substantial portion of the contents of the database for NonCommercial purposes only;

b. if You include all or a substantial portion of the database contents in a database in which You have Sui Generis Database Rights, then the database in which You have Sui Generis Database Rights (but not its individual contents) is Adapted Material; and

c. You must comply with the conditions in Section 3(a) if You Share all or a substantial portion of the contents of the database.

For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 4 supplements and does not replace Your obligations under this Public License where the Licensed Rights include other Copyright and Similar Rights.

Section 5 -- Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability.

a. UNLESS OTHERWISE SEPARATELY UNDERTAKEN BY THE LICENSOR, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, THE LICENSOR OFFERS THE LICENSED MATERIAL AS-IS AND AS-AVAILABLE, AND MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND CONCERNING THE LICENSED MATERIAL, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHER. THIS INCLUDES, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ABSENCE OF LATENT OR OTHER DEFECTS, ACCURACY, OR THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF ERRORS, WHETHER OR NOT KNOWN OR DISCOVERABLE. WHERE DISCLAIMERS OF WARRANTIES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN FULL OR IN PART, THIS DISCLAIMER MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

b. TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, IN NO EVENT WILL THE LICENSOR BE LIABLE TO YOU ON ANY LEGAL THEORY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, OR OTHER LOSSES, COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THIS PUBLIC LICENSE OR USE OF THE LICENSED MATERIAL, EVEN IF THE LICENSOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH LOSSES, COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DAMAGES. WHERE A LIMITATION OF LIABILITY IS NOT ALLOWED IN FULL OR IN PART, THIS LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

c. The disclaimer of warranties and limitation of liability provided above shall be interpreted in a manner that, to the extent possible, most closely approximates an absolute disclaimer and waiver of all liability.

Section 6 -- Term and Termination.

a. This Public License applies for the term of the Copyright and Similar Rights licensed here. However, if You fail to comply with this Public License, then Your rights under this Public License terminate automatically.

b. Where Your right to use the Licensed Material has terminated under Section 6(a), it reinstates:

1. automatically as of the date the violation is cured, provided it is cured within 30 days of Your discovery of the violation; or

2. upon express reinstatement by the Licensor.

For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 6(b) does not affect any right the Licensor may have to seek remedies for Your violations of this Public License.

c. For the avoidance of doubt, the Licensor may also offer the Licensed Material under separate terms or conditions or stop distributing the Licensed Material at any time; however, doing so will not terminate this Public License.

d. Sections 1, 5, 6, 7, and 8 survive termination of this Public License.

Section 7 -- Other Terms and Conditions.

a. The Licensor shall not be bound by any additional or different terms or conditions communicated by You unless expressly agreed.

b. Any arrangements, understandings, or agreements regarding the Licensed Material not stated herein are separate from and independent of the terms and conditions of this Public License.

Section 8 -- Interpretation.

a. For the avoidance of doubt, this Public License does not, and shall not be interpreted to, reduce, limit, restrict, or impose conditions on any use of the Licensed Material that could lawfully be made without permission under this Public License.

b. To the extent possible, if any provision of this Public License is deemed unenforceable, it shall be automatically reformed to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable. If the provision cannot be reformed, it shall be severed from this Public License without affecting the enforceability of the remaining terms and conditions.

c. No term or condition of this Public License will be waived and no failure to comply consented to unless expressly agreed to by the Licensor.

d. Nothing in this Public License constitutes or may be interpreted as a limitation upon, or waiver of, any privileges and immunities that apply to the Licensor or You, including from the legal processes of any jurisdiction or authority.


Creative Commons is not a party to its public licenses. Notwithstanding, Creative Commons may elect to apply one of its public licenses to material it publishes and in those instances will be considered the “Licensor.” The text of the Creative Commons public licenses is dedicated to the public domain under the CC0 Public Domain Dedication. Except for the limited purpose of indicating that material is shared under a Creative Commons public license or as otherwise permitted by the Creative Commons policies published at creativecommons.org/policies, Creative Commons does not authorize the use of the trademark "Creative Commons" or any other trademark or logo of Creative Commons without its prior written consent including, without limitation, in connection with any unauthorized modifications to any of its public licenses or any other arrangements, understandings, or agreements concerning use of licensed material. For the avoidance of doubt, this paragraph does not form part of the public licenses.

Creative Commons may be contacted at creativecommons.org.