Prevalence of ligamentous knee injuries in pedestrian versus motor vehicle accidents

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of ligamentous knee injuries and to compare patient demographics, associated injuries and hospital stay to pedestrians who did not sustain a ligamentous knee injury. Methods: A retrospective review of all adult patients presenting as pedestrians struck by a motor vehicle to a level 1 trauma center over a three-year period was performed. Demographics, length of stay, orthopedic and nonorthopedic traumatic injuries were recorded. Magnetic resonance imaging was reviewed for ligamentous, bony and chondral injuries. Results: Five hundred thirty-nine patients were included. Sixty-seven (12.4%) patients sustained a total of 84 ligamentous knee injuries. OF these knee injuries that had MRI (55/84), the majority (96%) were multiligamentous in nature. Patients with ligamentous knee injury were more likely to also be affected by traumatic brain injury, solid organ injury, cervical and lumbar spine injury, pelvic ring injuries, distal femur fractures, patella fractures, knee dislocations, tibial plateau fractures, tibial pilon fractures, and deep vein thrombosis when compared to patients who did not sustain ligamentous knee injury. Patients who sustained ligamentous knee injury were more likely to require hospital and intensive care admission and had a longer overall hospital stay. Conclusion: Given the high prevalence of ligamentous knee injuries in this patient population, these patients should be thoroughly evaluated for a ligamentous knee injury. If ligamentous knee injury is suspected, MRI should be considered as a majority of these injuries involved multiple structures. Patients with ligamentous knee injuries often had multi-system injuries with resulting longer hospital stay when compared to those without ligamentous knee injuries.

Opposite Effect of Cyclic Loading on the Material Properties of Medial Collateral Ligament at Different Temperatures: An Animal Study

“…The medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury of the knee joint of pedestrians is common in traffic accidents ( Klinich, 2003 ; Steinmetz et al, 2020 ). MCL injuries cause economic burdens and seriously affect patients’ quality of life ( Chakravarthy et al, 2007 ).…”

The effect of age on injury patterns in pedestrian deaths

“…Other studies have confirmed that pedestrians are injured more severely than any other group of individuals involved in a crash with higher rates of head, pelvic and lower extremity injuries, and a higher mortality rate (22%) compared to vehicle occupants (12%). 4,5 A South Australian study found that the fatality rate of pedestrians was approximately four times higher than that of vehicle occupants. 6 It is recognized that considerable variability exists among individuals in the vulnerability to injuries and death caused by vehicles, with children being particularly susceptible.…”