Abstract
We report a case of articular cartilage defect in a medial femoral condyle with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture that was repairable by ACL reconstruction and drilling.
The patient, a 41-year-old woman, presented with left knee pain. Fifteen years earlier, she had suffered left knee MCL rupture, which had been treated by suturation at a local hospital. She had felt pain and instability in the left knee from about one year prior to consultation at our hospital. Physical examination of the left knee revealed ROM 0∼145°, Lachman test (+), anterior drawer test (+), N test (+), and valgus stress test (−). MRI of the left knee demonstrated ACL rupture and medial meniscus injury. After one month, ACL reconstruction was performed. Arthroscopic examination revealed an articular cartilage defect in the medial femoral condyle and ACL rupture. The ACL was reconstructed using bone-patella tendon-bone, and then drilling was performed to the articular cartilage defect in the medial femoral condyle. After 14 months, the sensation of giving way was resolved, the ROM of the left knee was almost full, allowing removal of the interference screw and arthroscopic examination. The area of the articular cartilage defect in the medial femoral condyle was found to be covered with the tissue like fibrocartilage-like tissue, and the synovial covering of the reconstructed ACL was slightly poor, although there were no problem with tension or volume.
ACL reconstruction and drilling were effective for this case of articular cartilage defect in the medial femoral condyle.
