Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
ICD-10 S83.5 · ICD-11 NC93.6&XA4635

Treatment of Chronic Isolated Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injury with Distinct Knee Instability

This protocol addresses patients with a chronic isolated PCL injury who present with distinct posterior knee instability — typically characterised by pain, functional limitation, and persistent instability that affects physical activity or athletic performance.

Clinical Scenario

Symptomatic PCL lesions in the chronic setting present with pain, swelling, and activity limitations. In patients with posterior instability of the knee who have a demand for physical activity — particularly athletes — conservative management is often insufficient and surgical intervention becomes the recommended course.

Treatment Approach (Partial)

The surgical approach centres on PCL reconstruction, with graft selection and technique tailored to individual patient factors. The full protocol specifies the graft options and technical considerations that apply to this scenario.

Full graft selection criteria, technique details, and decision algorithm available in the complete protocol.

Instant Access to Structured Evidence-Based Regimens

References

DOI: 10.1097/JS9.0000000000002416
  1. Symptomatic PCL lesions are common in acute tears with other injuries or chronic tears, presenting with pain, swelling, and activity limitations.
  2. For individuals with posterior instability of the knee who have a demand for physical activity, PCL reconstruction is recommended, especially for athletes.
  3. Allografts or LARS can be considered a suitable alternative to autografts for PCL reconstruction.
  4. PCL reconstruction can consider single-bundle or double-bundle techniques, but the double-bundle technique has better knee stability and biomechanics.
View source ↗