Concomitant Popliteomeniscal Fascicles Tears Are Found in 21% of Professional Soccer Players With Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the incidence of popliteomeniscal fascicles (PMF) tears in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture in professional soccer players, to describe arthroscopic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and treatment of these lesions with clinical outcomes, and to evaluate the incidence of subsequent lateral meniscus tears and ACL reinjury.

Methods

ACL reconstructions on soccer players were retrospectively analyzed, and among them, a cohort of patients with PMFs tears was reviewed. The cohort was assessed with MRI examination, arthrometric testing, Lysholm score, and International Knee Documentation Committee score. The occurrence of subsequent lateral meniscus tears and ACL reinjury were evaluated.

Results

A total of 208 ACL reconstructions were identified. From these, 43 male and 3 female subjects with a mean age of 24 ± 4.2 years were included. Median time from injury to surgery was 5 days. Preoperative MRI showed a tear of posterior PMFs in 24 of 47 knees (51.1%). The mean preoperative arthrometric measured laxity was 4.3 ± 1.65 mm, and postoperatively 0.1 ± 1.1 mm. Preoperative Lysholm score and International Knee Documentation Committee score were, respectively, 50.4 ± 25.4 and 39.6 ± 5, and postoperatively 98 ± 2.4 and 73.6 ± 1.2. Mean time to return to play, at the same preoperative level for all patients, was 184 ± 41.7 days. One patient underwent ACL revision due to a reinjury 9 months after surgery, whereas no lateral meniscus tears occurred in the follow-up period.

Conclusions

PMF tears are found in approximately 20% of professional soccer players with acute ACL injuries. After ACL reconstruction and PMFs repair, outcomes including return to play are good, ACL retear is low, and recurrent lateral meniscus tears were not observed.

Level of Evidence

Level IV, therapeutic case series.