Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. Diagnostics and therapy

Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most common ligamentous knee injury The knee is stabilized by the cruciate ligaments and the collateral ligaments. The ACL originates from the inner surface of the lateral condyle of the femur, runs in an anterior medial direction and inserts at the tibial plateau in the intercondyle area. The most common injury is an indirect knee trauma, typically a joint torsion in sports. Patients often describe a snapping noise followed by hemarthrosis. Concomitant injuries are lesions of the medial collateral ligament, the medial meniscus (unhappy triad) and chondral fractures. The age peak is between 15 and 30 years with a higher incidence in females. The cardinal symptom of the ACL rupture is the giving way phenomenon. The clinical diagnosis is provided by a positive Lachman test, a positive pivot shift test and the anterior drawer test. Fractures can be excluded by X-ray examination. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows the evaluation of the internal knee structures. ACL repair is carried out by arthroscopically assisted bone-tendon-bone or semitendinosus grafting techniques. Early rehabilitation is important for a good functional outcome.