J Knee Surg 2019; 32(06): 532-535
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1655763
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Sonographic Evaluation of the Anterolateral Ligament of the Knee: A Cadaveric Study

Marcello Zappia
1   Dipartimento di Medicina e di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy
2   Department of Radiology, Varelli Institute, Naples, Italy
,
Francesco Oliva
3   Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata,” Rome, Italy
,
Vito Chianca
4   Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II,” Naples, Italy
,
Francesco Di Pietto
5   Department of Diagnostic Imaging, AORN A. Cardarelli, Naples, Italy
,
Nicola Maffulli
6   Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Azienda Ospedaliera San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
7   Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Mile End Hospital, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

14 April 2017

21 April 2018

Publication Date:
31 May 2018 (online)

Abstract

Rotational stability of the knee involves not only the cruciate ligaments but also another structure named anterolateral ligament (ALL), the function of which is still controversial. This study evaluated the effectiveness of high-resolution ultrasound (US) examination to detect the ALL. We studied 8 cadaveric knees (8 ALLs). On each knee, high-resolution real-time ultrasonography examination was performed by an experienced musculoskeletal radiologist before and after the procedure, with the surgeons blind to the results of the scan both before and after dissection. The ALL was identified in each cadaver limb by the musculoskeletal radiologist. US is a useful imaging modality to identify and evaluate the ALL. The ability of US to fully evaluate injuries involving the ALL still needs to be demonstrated in a clinical setting.

 
  • References

  • 1 Claes S, Vereecke E, Maes M, Victor J, Verdonk P, Bellemans J. Anatomy of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. J Anat 2013; 223 (04) 321-328
  • 2 Segond P. Recherches cliniques et expérimentales sur les épanchements sanguins du genou par entorse: Aux Bureaux du Progrès médical; 1879
  • 3 Terry GC, Hughston JC, Norwood LA. The anatomy of the iliopatellar band and iliotibial tract. Am J Sports Med 1986; 14 (01) 39-45
  • 4 Campos JC, Chung CB, Lektrakul N. , et al. Pathogenesis of the Segond fracture: anatomic and MR imaging evidence of an iliotibial tract or anterior oblique band avulsion. Radiology 2001; 219 (02) 381-386
  • 5 LaPrade RF, Gilbert TJ, Bollom TS, Wentorf F, Chaljub G. The magnetic resonance imaging appearance of individual structures of the posterolateral knee. A prospective study of normal knees and knees with surgically verified grade III injuries. Am J Sports Med 2000; 28 (02) 191-199
  • 6 Vieira EL, Vieira EA, da Silva RT, Berlfein PA, Abdalla RJ, Cohen M. An anatomic study of the iliotibial tract. Arthroscopy 2007; 23 (03) 269-274
  • 7 Parsons EM, Gee AO, Spiekerman C, Cavanagh PR. The biomechanical function of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. Am J Sports Med 2015; 43 (03) 669-674
  • 8 Cavaignac E, Wytrykowski K, Reina N. , et al. Ultrasonographic identification of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. Arthroscopy 2016; 32 (01) 120-126
  • 9 Cianca J, John J, Pandit S, Chiou-Tan FY. Musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging of the recently described anterolateral ligament of the knee. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2014; 93 (02) 186
  • 10 Capo J, Kaplan DJ, Fralinger DJ. , et al. Ultrasonographic visualization and assessment of the anterolateral ligament. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2017; 25 (10) 3134-3139
  • 11 Fulkerson JP, Gossling HR. Anatomy of the knee joint lateral retinaculum. Clin Orthop Relat Res 1980; (153) 183-188
  • 12 Vincent JP, Magnussen RA, Gezmez F. , et al. The anterolateral ligament of the human knee: an anatomic and histologic study. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2012; 20 (01) 147-152
  • 13 Johnson LL. Lateral capsular ligament complex: anatomical and surgical considerations. Am J Sports Med 1979; 7 (03) 156-160
  • 14 Dodds AL, Halewood C, Gupte CM, Williams A, Amis AA. The anterolateral ligament: anatomy, length changes and association with the Segond fracture. Bone Joint J 2014; 96-B (03) 325-331
  • 15 Claes S, Luyckx T, Vereecke E, Bellemans J. The Segond fracture: a bony injury of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. Arthroscopy 2014; 30 (11) 1475-1482
  • 16 Van der Watt L, Khan M, Rothrauff BB. , et al. The structure and function of the anterolateral ligament of the knee: a systematic review. Arthroscopy 2015; 31 (03) 569-82.e3
  • 17 Caterine S, Litchfield R, Johnson M, Chronik B, Getgood A. A cadaveric study of the anterolateral ligament: re-introducing the lateral capsular ligament. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2015; 23 (11) 3186-3195
  • 18 Helito CP, Helito PV, Costa HP. , et al. MRI evaluation of the anterolateral ligament of the knee: assessment in routine 1.5-T scans. Skeletal Radiol 2014; 43 (10) 1421-1427
  • 19 Taneja AK, Miranda FC, Braga CA. , et al. MRI features of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. Skeletal Radiol 2015; 44 (03) 403-410
  • 20 Hartigan DE, Carroll KW, Kosarek FJ, Piasecki DP, Fleischli JF, D'Alessandro DF. Visibility of anterolateral ligament tears in anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knees with standard 1.5-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging. Arthroscopy 2016; 32 (10) 2061-2065
  • 21 Oshima T, Nakase J, Numata H, Takata Y, Tsuchiya H. Ultrasonography imaging of the anterolateral ligament using real-time virtual sonography. Knee 2016; 23 (02) 198-202
  • 22 Cavaignac E, Faruch M, Wytrykowski K. , et al. Ultrasonographic evaluation of anterolateral ligament injuries: correlation with magnetic resonance imaging and pivot-shift testing. Arthroscopy 2017; 33 (07) 1384-1390
  • 23 Ferretti A, Monaco E, Fabbri M, Maestri B, De Carli A. Prevalence and classification of injuries of anterolateral complex in acute anterior cruciate ligament tears. Arthroscopy 2017; 33 (01) 147-154
  • 24 Sonnery-Cottet B, Barbosa NC, Tuteja S, Daggett M, Kajetanek C, Thaunat M. Minimally invasive anterolateral ligament reconstruction in the setting of anterior cruciate ligament injury. Arthrosc Tech 2016; 5 (01) e211-e215
  • 25 Kittl C, Halewood C, Stephen JM. , et al. Length change patterns in the lateral extra-articular structures of the knee and related reconstructions. Am J Sports Med 2015; 43 (02) 354-362
  • 26 Dodds AL, Gupte CM, Neyret P, Williams AM, Amis AA. Extra-articular techniques in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a literature review. J Bone Joint Surg Br 2011; 93 (11) 1440-1448