Parisi JF, Moreno R, Boffa J, Simon B, López A
Centre Mèdic Pas de la Casa - Grau Roig, ANDORRA
INTRODUCTION
This study has the objective to demonstrate the sensitivity and specificity of the acute clinical diagnosis of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, made in the first 3 hours after the injury occurred, and compare it with the final diagnosis obtained by NMR.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
80 patients we received at the medical centre situated at the Grau Roig ski resort, Andorra, were diagnosed with ACL injury, during the period from December 2001 to March 2002.
The parameters to arrive to the presumptive diagnosis of ACL injury were: indirect trauma of the knee, feeling of instability, anteroposterior instability, positive results of the drawer test and Lachman test.
The presumptive diagnosis were compared with the final diagnosis confirmed by the complementary tests (NMR and arthroscopy), which were obtained via telephone conversation and/or fax.
PARTIAL RESULTS
In 77 out of 80 patients with a presumptive diagnosis of an ACL injury, the diagnosis was confirmed by NMR. 31 of them showed an isolated injury, and in the rest of the cases it was associated with other structures (meniscus, lateral ligaments, PCL). Therefore in 96,25% of cases the presumptive diagnosis was confirmed by complementary tests.
CONCLUSIONS
The partial results we obtained demonstrate the sensitivity of the clinical diagnosis of this injury. The evaluation in the first hours after the trauma allows us to carry out an adequate physical examination with less hemarthrosis, functional impotence and pain, and permits a very close approximation to the final diagnosis.
