PCL SURGERY

Introduction

There are four major ligaments in the knee. Two of them (the collateral ligaments) are situated on either side of the knee just beneath the skin. The two cruciate ligaments are situated inside the knee. The one in front is called the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the one at the back the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).

The PCL is the strongest ligament in your knee. The primary function of this ligament is to prevent the lower leg moving backwards in relation to the upper leg, especially in the flexed position.

The instability due to a torn PCL usually does not cause severe functional restrictions. There are sport stars competing at international level with a torn PCL. The long-term effect of this instability remains unclear. It does however lead to abnormal loads on the knee, mainly affecting the inner half of the knee and the joint behind the kneecap. In cases where the instability is severe or if it is combined with other ligament injuries we will consider doing a reconstruction of the ligament.