Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tear

Aka: Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tear, PCL Tear, Posterior Cruciate Deficiency, Posterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture, PCL Rupture

II. Epidemiology

  1. Uncommon injury

III. Mechanism of injury

  1. Direct Trauma to proximal tibia
  2. Occurs when flexed knee decelerates rapidly
    1. Hyperflexion
    2. Fall on flexed knee

IV. Signs

  1. Knee Posterior Drawer Test positive
  2. PCL Sulcus Test positive
  3. PCL Sag Test positive

V. Radiology: Knee XRay

  1. Lateral XRay evaluates for tibial avulsion Fracture

VI. Management

  1. Knee Immobilization for short period (extension splint)
  2. Knee Brace
  3. Quadriceps strengthening Exercises
  4. Surgery Indications (rarely indicated)
    1. Displaced tibial avulsion Fracture

VII. References

  1. Smith (1995) Am Fam Physician 51(4): 799-806 [PubMed]

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Related Studies

Ontology: Deficiency of posterior cruciate ligament (C0409314)

Concepts Injury or Poisoning (T037)
SnomedCT 239726006
English Deficiency post cruciate lig, PCL - Post cruciate lig def, Deficiency of posterior cruciate ligament, PCL - Posterior cruciate ligament deficiency, Deficiency of posterior cruciate ligament (disorder)
Spanish deficiencia del ligamento cruzado posterior (trastorno), deficiencia del ligamento cruzado posterior
Derived from the NIH UMLS (Unified Medical Language System)

Ontology: Rupture of posterior cruciate ligament (C0409316)

Concepts Injury or Poisoning (T037)
ICD10 S83.54
SnomedCT 239727002
English PCL - Post cruciate lig ruptur, Rupture post cruciate ligament, Tear post cruciate ligament, cruciate ligament posterior tears, posterior cruciate ligament tear, rupture of posterior cruciate ligament, Caudal cruciate ligament tear, PCL - Posterior cruciate ligament rupture, Rupture of posterior cruciate ligament, Tear of posterior cruciate ligament, Rupture of posterior cruciate ligament (disorder)
Spanish ruptura del ligamento cruzado posterior (trastorno), ruptura del ligamento cruzado posterior
Derived from the NIH UMLS (Unified Medical Language System)

Related Topics in Knee Disorders

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