Lecture 7: LE Injuries Part 2 Flashcards
What are the Ottawa Knee Rules? (5)
- Pt older than 55
- Tenderness at head of fibula
- Isolated patellar tenderness
- Inability to flex knee to 90deg
- Inability to bear weight for 4 steps both immediately after injury & in the ED
If any are met, order XR
Mainly used to rule out knee fx.
What are the typical views for a knee series?
AP & Lateral
MOI for an ACL tear
Sudden deceleration with rotational trauma/hyperextension force applied to knee
Usually a full tear.
When an ACL is torn, what is typically also torn?
Meniscal tear
Very rare to injure the other ligaments.
How does an ACL tear present? (4)
- Sudden pain and collapse of knee
- Audible pop
- Joint effusion within hours => pain
- Limited ROM
What 3 special tests check for ACL tear?
- Lachman test (most reliable)
- Anterior drawer
- Pivot shift test
What XRs do we order for an ACL tear and expected finding?
- AP, lateral, tunnel views
- Most commonly shows an effusion
What avulsion fracture may appear with ACL tears?
Segond fractures, which are the lateral capsular margin of the tibia
Who are tibial eminence fractures MC in?
People with open growth plates
aka the children
How is dx of an ACL tear confirmed?
MRI
Image of a tunnel knee XR
How does a knee joint effusion appear on XR?
Well-defined rounded homogeneous soft tissue density within suprapatellar recess on lateral view
What is the initial management for an ACL tear? (4)
- RICE with knee immobilizer
- Tylenol before NSAIDs
- Aspiration for large effusion
- ROM as pain allows
How does management with ortho for an ACL tear vary depending on age?
- Young = reconstruction via graft
- Old = PT to improve the surrounding muscles to compensate
Patella, hamstring, quad, or cadaver grafts
What are the MOIs associated with a PCL tear? (2)
- Direct blow to tibia (knee striking dashboard in MVA or falling onto knee)
- Extreme hyperextension (usually ACL rupture also)
When does a PCL tear typically occur?
Alongside a collateral ligament tear or ACL rupture.
Not very common to just completely rupture PCL alone
How does a PCL tear present? (5)
- Same as ACL, but the special tests will be negative (lachman & pivot shift)
- Sudden pain and collapse of knee
- Audible pop
- Joint effusion within hours => pain
- Limited ROM
What special test is usually positive for a PCL tear specifically?
Posterior drawer test
When is NV status assessed for a PCL tear and how?
If we suspect multiligament injury, we should do an ABI, which should be greater than 0.9 to rule out.
If lower, order arterial imaging to check for an intimal tear
Initial management of a PCL tear (2)
- RICE + knee immobilizer
- ROM within 1-5 days
When is reconstruction indicated for a PCL tear? (2)
- PT fails to restore stability
- Multi-ligamentous injury
Main sequelae associated with a PCL tear (1)
OA
Main sequelae associated with an ACL tear (2)
- Medial meniscus injury
- Secondary degenerative joint disease
What is the MOI for an MCL tear?
Lateral/valgus blow to the knee (typically football)
What is the MOI for an LCL tear?
Associated with other traumatic knee injuries
Rarer than an MCL tear
Pretty hard to get hit from the inside of your knee
Clinical presentation of a collateral ligament tear (3)
- Localized pain/tenderness/swelling/stiffness that worsens over 6-8 hrs
- Usually able to bear weight after
- Ecchymosis + effusion along ligament 1-2 days after
What testing should we do for a suspected collateral ligament tear?
- Varus/valgus testing in both extension and 30deg flexion
- Laxity in extension is more significant
- Instability can be masked by pain and involuntary muscle contraction
Do their uninjured leg first
Extended legs stretch collateral ligaments, so laxity is concerning
How do we confirm a collateral ligament tear?
MRI
XR is for checking for avulsion fx
Management for a grade 1-2 collateral ligament tear (sprain-partial tear) (3)
- RICE, hinged knee brace, NSAIDs
- Early ROM exercises
- Crutches with wt-bearing as tolerated
Management for grade 3/ruptured collateral ligament (1)
Ortho to decide brace vs repair
MOIs for meniscal injury
- Rotational force with a planted foot
- Older pts (degenerative tears)
Clinical presentation of a meniscal injury (5)
- Pain and stiffness following MOI that worsens over the next few days
- Sometimes able to ambulate
- Locking/catching/popping after effusion resolves
- Tenderness along joint line
- Effusion (MC in lateral tears)
What special test is positive for a meniscal injury?
McMurray test (painful click)
What position should a knee be in when you’re palpating?
90deg flexion
If a patient is over 40y and has a suspected meniscus tear, what modification should be done to XR?
Weight bearing in 45 deg flexion
Checking for OA
Initial management for meniscal injury
RICE + NSAIDs
PT after if no surgery
When is a referral to ortho indicated for meniscal injury? (4)
- Young pt with traumatic tear
- Failure of conservative (aka joint line stays tender)
- Mechanical symptoms
- Evidence of instability
Who is knee dislocation MC in?
Young males
But overall, not a very common MSK condition
How do we characterize knee dislocations and the MC type?
Direction of the tibia relative to the femur
MC is anterior
Clinical presentation of a knee dislocation (3)
- Obvious deformity with severe pain and limited ROM
- 50% spontaneously reduce
- Ecchymosis and swelling
What indicates gross instability of the ligaments in a knee dislocation?
Hyperextension > 30deg when leg is lifted by the foot
Why is NV status checking essential in a knee dislocation?
Vascular injuries can occur even with normal pulses.
Make sure you check popliteal!
What does a CT check for in knee dislocations? MRI?
- CT checks for occult fx post reduction
- MRI checks for internal derangement post reduction
How is a knee reduced? (2)
- Sedation => Longitudinal traction
- Immobilize in 20deg flexion to check serial NV status later
After a knee is reduced, what should we do? (2)
- Consult ortho and vascular
- Admit for serial NV checks
Not a same-day discharge usually
What is found in between the tibia and fibula?
Interosseous membrane
What is the MC MOI to cause a tibial plateau fx?
- High energy valgus trauma in young pt
- Low-energy trauma in old pt (twisting/fall)
Which tibial plateau is MC fxd?
Lateral plateau
Valgus stress
Clinical presentation of a tibial plateau fx (4)
- Massive pain
- Non-weight bearing
- Swelling/joint effusion
- Limited ROM
Besides NV status, what else we concerned about in a tibial plateau fx?
Compartment syndrome
When are oblique views good for tibial plateau fx?
If AP/lateral were inconclusive
Initial managment of a tibial plateau fx (4)
- Compression
- Ice
- Analgesia
- Splint in full extension
When is urgent consult indicated for tibial plateau fx? (2)
- Displacement or depression
- Nearly all require ORIF
How do we manage a non-displaced tibial plateau fx? (3)
- Long-leg posterior/knee immobilizer
- NWB
- Ortho in 1 week
MOI for a tibial tubercle fx
Sudden force to flexed knee during a contracted quad
Usually when jumping or landing
Who is a tibial tubercle fx MC in?
Children
How does a tibial tubercle fx present?
- Pain/tenderness/swelling over tibial tuberosity
- Displacement of patella superiorly (it has lost its inferior anchor point)
- Loss of ROM
Management of tibial tubercle fx with incomplete/small avulsion (4)
- RICE
- Knee immobilizer/long-leg posterior
- NWB
- Ortho in 1 week
Management of tibial tubercle fx with complete avulsion (4)
- RICE
- Knee immobilizer/long-leg posterior
- NWB
- Urgent ortho for ORIF (24-48h)
What is the MC long bone fx overall?
Tibial shaft fx
Often with a fibular fx also
How do adults typically fx their tibial shaft? Children?
- Adults: High energy blow directly
- Children: Twisting
How does a tibial shaft fx present? (2)
- Inability to bear weight
- Pain/swelling/deformity
How would you diagnose/workup a tibial fx?
- AP & Lateral tib/fib XR (Can add on knee/ankle)
- Oblique XR/CT for complexity
- Bone scan if occult fx is suspected