Knee pain and injury: When is a surgical consult needed?

ACL tears occur most commonly via a noncontact event, as when an individual plants their foot and suddenly changes direction during sport or other physical activity. Treatment hinges on patient activity levels and participation in sports. Patients who do not plan to engage in athletic movements (that require changes in direction or planting and twisting) and who otherwise maintain satisfactory joint stability during activities of daily living may elect to defer or even altogether avoid surgical reconstruction of isolated ACL tears. One pair of studies demonstrated equivalent outcomes in surgical and nonsurgical management in 121 young, nonelite athletes at 2- and 5-year follow-up, although the crossover from the nonsurgical to surgical groups was high.^12,13 Athletes who regain satisfactory function and stability nonoperatively can defer surgical intervention. However, the majority of active patients and athletes will require surgical ACL reconstruction to return to pre-injury functional levels.¹⁴

PCL sprains occur as a result of sudden posteriorly directed force on the tibia, such as when the knee is hyperextended or a patient falls directly onto a flexed knee. Patients with Grade 1 and 2 isolated sprains generally will recover with conservative care, as will patients with some Grade 3 complete tears that do not fully compromise joint stability. However, high-grade PCL injuries often are comorbid with posterolateral corner or other injuries, leading to a higher likelihood of joint instability and thus the need for surgical intervention for the best chance at an optimal outcome.¹⁵

MCL sprain. Surgical management is not required in an isolated Grade 1 or 2 MCL sprain, as the hallmarks of recovery—return of joint stability, knee strength and range of motion, and pain ­reduction—can be achieved successfully with conservative management. Isolated Grade 3 MCL sprains are also successfully managed nonoperatively¹⁶ except in specific cases, such as a concurrent large avulsion fracture.¹⁷

LCL sprain. Similarly, isolated Grade 1 and 2 LCL sprains generally do not require surgical intervention. However, Grade 3 LCL injuries usually do, as persistent joint instability and poor functional outcomes are more common with nonsurgical management.^18-20 Additionally, high-grade LCL injuries frequently manifest with comorbid meniscus injuries or sprains of the posterolateral corner of the knee, a complex anatomic structure that provides both static and dynamic tibiofemoral joint stability. Surgical repair or reconstruction of the posterolateral corner frequently is necessary for optimal functional outcomes.²¹

Multiligamentous sprains frequently lead to gross joint instability and necessitate orthopedic surgeon consultation to determine the best treatment plan; this should be done emergently if neurovascular compromise is suspected. A common injury combination is simultaneous ACL and MCL sprains with or without meniscus injury. In these cases, some surgeons will choose to defer ACL reconstruction until after MCL healing is achieved. This allows the patient to regain valgus stability of the joint prior to performing ACL reconstruction to regain rotational and anterior stability.²⁰

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