Posterolateral Corner Injuries of the Knee

Introduction Posterolateral corner (PLC) injuries of the knee are a rare but often debilitating injury.1,2 If left untreated, PLC injuries can lead to persistent instability, pain, articular degeneration, and failure of surgically treated cruciate ligament reconstructions.3-6 Often resulting from a high energy hyperextension varus impact to the anteromedial knee7, cruciate ligament injuries, fractures, and neurovascular compromise are commonly associated with this injury.1-2,7-9 Early recognition and appropriate treatment relies on an understanding of the anatomy, a thorough knee examination, careful surgical technique, and a protected rehabilitation protocol. Due to the rarity of isolated PLC injuries, much of the literature on identification, treatment, and outcome is obtained from studies involving multiligament knee injuries. Acknowledging that the multi-ligament literature may not be directly applicable to the patient with an isolated PLC injury, the vast majority of patients with this condition will present in the setting of a knee dislocation.