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Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury

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Arthroscopy Posterior cruciate ligament of the knee

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Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury

Definition:

A posterior cruciate ligament injury is described as a partial or complete tear, or stretching of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) anywhere along the length of the ligament.

Alternative Names:
Cruciate ligament injury - posterior; PCL injury; Knee injury - posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)

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Considerations:

A physical examination shows signs of PCL injury. This includes "positive" findings when manipulating the knee joint in various ways (these manipulations are called a posterior drawer test and a quadriceps active drawer test).

Another physical examination technique that allows the practitioner to detect the presence of fluid in the knee joint (the ballottement test) may show joint bleeding (hemarthrosis).

PCL injury may be seen on the following procedures:

• a knee MRI
• a knee joint X-ray

Causes:

The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is a powerful ligament extending from the top-rear surface of the tibia to the bottom-front surface of the femur. The ligament prevents the knee joint from posterior instability -- that is, instability in the back of the joint.

The PCL is usually injured by hyperextension (overextending the knee), or a direct blow to the flexed knee (such as from "dashboard knee" in a car accident).

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