Short to Mid-term Outcomes of Single-stage Reconstruction of Multiligament Knee Injury

Background: Multiligament knee injury (MLKI) is a complex orthopedic injury leading to the tear of at least two ofthe major knee ligaments. However, there is no consensus on the optimal management of this debilitating condition.Regarding this, the present study was performed to evaluate the outcomes of single-stage multiligament reconstructionsurgery in patients with MLKI.Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on 41 consecutive MLKI patients who underwent surgicalreconstruction. Objective evaluation of the outcome included active extension and flexion. Furthermore, the subjectiveevaluation of the outcome was accomplished using the Lysholm scoring scale and International Knee DocumentationCommittee (IKDC) form in Persian. Postoperative complications were also recorded for all patients.Results: The mean age of the participants was 31.95±7.82 years. In addition, the mean follow-up period and themean time interval between the injury and surgery were recorded as 36.9±17.8 and 11.5±8.9 months, respectively. Themean Lysholm and IKDC scores were obtained as 86.9±11.5 and 70±18.7, respectively. The mean Lysholm and IKDCscores were not statistically different between the patients who underwent surgery less than 6 months after the injuryand those subjected to reconstruction 6 months postinjury (P=0.07 and P=0.3, respectively). Seven patients showedpostoperative restricted range of motion, which was resolved with physiotherapy. The only surgical complication waspopliteal artery injury.Conclusion: As the findings indicated, the single-stage reconstruction of MLKI provided an acceptable outcome.However, several aspects of this reconstruction, such as the timing of the surgery, still remain to be resolved in futureinvestigations.Level of evidence: IV