Abstract
The posterolateral corner (PLC) of the knee is a complex functional unit consisting of several important ligaments and is responsible for posterolateral stabilization of the joint [1]. There is some variability in the definition of the posterolateral corner (PLC) in the literature, but most descriptions include the lateral collateral ligament (LCL), the anterior oblique band (AOB), the popliteal tendon (PT) with the anterolateral ligament (ALL), the popliteomeniscal fascicles, and the popliteofibular ligament (PFL), as well as the posterolateral capsule including the arcuate ligament (AL) and the fabellofibular ligament (FFL) [1]. These structures are reinforced by the biceps femoris tendon and the iliotibial tract.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bolog N, Hodler J. MR imaging of the posterolateral corner of the knee. Skeletal Radiol. 2007;36(8):715–28.
Wang CJ, Walker PS. The effects of flexion and rotation on the length patterns of the ligaments of the knee. J Biomech. 1973;6(6):587–96.
LaPrade RF, Hamilton CD. The fibular collateral ligament-biceps femoris bursa. An anatomic study. Am J Sports Med. 1997;25(4):439–43.
Meister BR, et al. Anatomy and kinematics of the lateral collateral ligament of the knee. Am J Sports Med. 2000;28(6):869–78.
De Maeseneer M, et al. Posterolateral supporting structures of the knee: findings on anatomic dissection, anatomic slices and MR images. Eur Radiol. 2001;11(11):2170–7.
Sugita T, Amis AA. Anatomic and biomechanical study of the lateral collateral and popliteofibular ligaments. Am J Sports Med. 2001;29(4):466–72.
Davies H, Unwin A, Aichroth P. The posterolateral corner of the knee. Anatomy, biomechanics and management of injuries. Injury. 2004;35(1):68–75.
Munshi M, et al. MR imaging, MR arthrography, and specimen correlation of the posterolateral corner of the knee: an anatomic study. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2003;180(4):1095–101.
Brinkman JM, et al. The insertion geometry of the posterolateral corner of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2005;87(10):1364–8.
DeLee JC, Riley MB, Rockwood Jr CA. Acute posterolateral rotatory instability of the knee. Am J Sports Med. 1983;11(4):199–207.
Beall DP, et al. Magnetic resonance imaging of the collateral ligaments and the anatomic quadrants of the knee. Radiol Clin North Am. 2007;45(6):983–1002, vi.
Diamantopoulos A, et al. The posterolateral corner of the knee: evaluation under microsurgical dissection. Arthroscopy. 2005;21(7):826–33.
Recondo JA, et al. Lateral stabilizing structures of the knee: functional anatomy and injuries assessed with MR imaging. Radiographics. 2000;20(Spec No):S91–102.
De Maeseneer M, et al. Normal anatomy and pathology of the posterior capsular area of the knee: findings in cadaveric specimens and in patients. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2004;182(4):955–62.
Vincent JP, et al. The anterolateral ligament of the human knee: an anatomic and histologic study. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2012;20(1):147–52.
Sussmann PS, et al. Development of the popliteomeniscal fasciculi in the fetal human knee joint. Arthroscopy. 2001;17(1):14–8.
Huang GS, et al. Avulsion fracture of the head of the fibula (the “arcuate” sign): MR imaging findings predictive of injuries to the posterolateral ligaments and posterior cruciate ligament. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2003;180(2):381–7.
Stannard JP, et al. Reconstruction of the posterolateral corner of the knee. Arthroscopy. 2005;21(9):1051–9.
Terry GC, LaPrade RF. The posterolateral aspect of the knee. Anatomy and surgical approach. Am J Sports Med. 1996;24(6):732–9.
Watanabe Y, et al. Functional anatomy of the posterolateral structures of the knee. Arthroscopy. 1993;9(1):57–62.
O’Brien SJ, et al. Reconstruction of the chronically insufficient anterior cruciate ligament with the central third of the patellar ligament. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1991;73(2):278–86.
Covey DC. Injuries of the posterolateral corner of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2001;83-A(1):106–18.
Seebacher JR, et al. The structure of the posterolateral aspect of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1982;64(4):536–41.
Dietz GW, Wilcox DM, Montgomery JB. Segond tibial condyle fracture: lateral capsular ligament avulsion. Radiology. 1986;159(2):467–9.
Robertson A, Nutton RW, Keating JF. Dislocation of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2006;88(6):706–11.
Becker EH, Watson JD, Dreese JC. Investigation of multiligamentous knee injury patterns with associated injuries presenting at a level I trauma center. J Orthop Trauma. 2013;27(4):226–31.
Koenig JH, et al. Meniscal root tears: diagnosis and treatment. Arthroscopy. 2009;25(9):1025–32.
Hughston JC, et al. Classification of knee ligament instabilities. Part I. The medial compartment and cruciate ligaments. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1976;58(2):159–72.
DeHaven KE. Diagnosis of acute knee injuries with hemarthrosis. Am J Sports Med. 1980;8(1):9–14.
Hughston JC, Jacobson KE. Chronic posterolateral rotatory instability of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1985;67(3):351–9.
LaPrade RF, Terry GC. Injuries to the posterolateral aspect of the knee. Association of anatomic injury patterns with clinical instability. Am J Sports Med. 1997;25(4):433–8.
Baker Jr CL, Norwood LA, Hughston JC. Acute posterolateral rotatory instability of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1983;65(5):614–8.
LaPrade RF, et al. The effects of grade III posterolateral knee complex injuries on anterior cruciate ligament graft force. A biomechanical analysis. Am J Sports Med. 1999;27(4):469–75.
LaPrade RF, et al. The magnetic resonance imaging appearance of individual structures of the posterolateral knee. A prospective study of normal knees and knees with surgically verified grade III injuries. Am J Sports Med. 2000;28(2):191–9.
Noyes FR, Barber-Westin SD. Revision anterior cruciate surgery with use of bone-patellar tendon-bone autogenous grafts. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2001;83-A(8):1131–43.
Wong CH, et al. Knee dislocations-a retrospective study comparing operative versus closed immobilization treatment outcomes. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2004;12(6):540–4.
Veltri DM, Warren RF. Operative treatment of posterolateral instability of the knee. Clin Sports Med. 1994;13(3):615–27.
Clancy Jr WG, Shepard MF, Cain Jr EL. Posterior lateral corner reconstruction. Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ). 2003;32(4):171–6.
Stannard JP, et al. The posterolateral corner of the knee: repair versus reconstruction. Am J Sports Med. 2005;33(6):881–8.
Geeslin AG, LaPrade RF. Outcomes of treatment of acute grade-III isolated and combined posterolateral knee injuries: a prospective case series and surgical technique. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2011;93(18):1672–83.
Ibrahim SA. Primary repair of the cruciate and collateral ligaments after traumatic dislocation of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1999;81(6):987–90.
Wang CJ, et al. Outcome of surgical reconstruction for posterior cruciate and posterolateral instabilities of the knee. Injury. 2002;33(9):815–21.
Liow RY, et al. Ligament repair and reconstruction in traumatic dislocation of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2003;85(6):845–51.
Fanelli GC, Edson CJ. Combined posterior cruciate ligament-posterolateral reconstructions with Achilles tendon allograft and biceps femoris tendon tenodesis: 2- to 10-year follow-up. Arthroscopy. 2004;20(4):339–45.
Fanelli GC, et al. Treatment of combined anterior cruciate-posterior cruciate ligament-medial-lateral side knee injuries. J Knee Surg. 2005;18(3):240–8.
LaPrade RF, et al. An analysis of an anatomical posterolateral knee reconstruction: an in vitro biomechanical study and development of a surgical technique. Am J Sports Med. 2004;32(6):1405–14.
Noyes FR, Barber-Westin SD. Posterolateral knee reconstruction with an anatomical bone-patellar tendon-bone reconstruction of the fibular collateral ligament. Am J Sports Med. 2007;35(2):259–73.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bolog, N.V., Andreisek, G., Ulbrich, E.J., Devitt, B.M. (2015). Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) and Posterolateral Corner (PLC). In: MRI of the Knee. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08165-6_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08165-6_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-08164-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-08165-6
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)