Evaluation of the Tibial Tubercle to Posterior Cruciate Ligament Distance in a Pediatric Patient Population.

Background: Evaluation of distal extensor mechanism alignment continues to evolve in children with patella instability. Prior studies support the use of the tibial tubercle to trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance but limitations exist for this measurement including: changes in the TT-TG distance with knee flexion, difficulty with finding the deepest part of a dysplastic trochlea, and limitations regarding identification of the site of the anatomic abnormality. The tibial tubercle-posterior cruciate ligament (TT-PCL) distance has been introduced as an alternative measure to address the shortcomings in the TT-TG distance by quantifying the position of the TT independent of the trochlea and with respect to the tibia only.

Geographic mapping of meniscus and cartilage lesions associated with anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

Background: Detailed descriptions of meniscus and articular cartilage lesions associated with anterior cruciate ligament injury have not been presented in the literature. Our goal was to determine the associations between patient sex, age, and surgical delay and the frequency and location of meniscus and articular cartilage lesions seen at the time of the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Methods: Data were obtained retrospectively from a database of 1209 consecutive patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction between 1988 and 2002.