Abstract
There is a lively debate about the existence, origins and discoverer of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. The complex anatomy of the lateral aspect of the knee has made it difficult to differentiate between various structures such as the iliotibial band, capsulo-osseous layer, Kaplan’s fibres and the anterolateral capsule. The “discovery” of a new anterolateral structure in 2013 was the culmination of many historical studies. In 1879, Paul Ferdinand Segond described a tibial plateau fracture in which he noted a pearly band reinforcing the joint capsule. Other anatomists had their suspicions about this ligament; it was described by Vallois in 1914 in his thesis and extensively studied by Jost in 1921. References to it can be found in comparative anatomy studies. This historical review serves as a reminder that understanding and treating knee sprains is not something new.
Level of evidence
V.
References
Bonnet A (1845) Traité des maladies des articulations. C. Savy Jeune, Lyon
Cavaignac E, Wytrykowski K, Reina N, Pailhe R, Murgier J, Faruch M, Chiron P (2016) Ultrasonographic identification of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. Arthroscopy 32(1):120–126
Claes S, Vereecke E, Maes M, Victor J, Verdonk P, Bellemans J (2013) Anatomy of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. J Anat 223(4):321–328
Daggett M, Busch K, Sonnery-Cottet B (2016) Surgical dissection of the anterolateral ligament. Arthrosc Tech 5(1):e185–e188
Daggett M, Claes S, Helito CP, Imbert P, Monaco E, Lutz C, Sonnery-Cottet B (2016) The role of the anterolateral structures and the ACL in controlling laxity of the intact and ACL-deficient knee: letter to the editor. Am J Sports Med 44(4):NP14–NP15
Davis DS, Post WR (1997) Segond fracture: lateral capsular ligament avulsion. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 25(2):103–106
Dietz GW, Wilcox DM, Montgomery JB (1986) Segond tibial condyle fracture: lateral capsular ligament avulsion. Radiology 159(2):467–469
Dodds AL, Halewood C, Gupte CM, Williams A, Amis AA (2014) The anterolateral ligament: anatomy, length changes and association with the Segond fracture. Bone Joint J 96-B(3):325–331
Guenther D, Griffith C, Lesniak B, Lopomo N, Grassi A, Zaffagnini S, Fu FH, Musahl V (2015) Anterolateral rotatory instability of the knee. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 23(10):2909–2917
Haims AH, Medvecky MJ, Pavlovich R Jr, Katz LD (2003) MR imaging of the anatomy of and injuries to the lateral and posterolateral aspects of the knee. AJR Am J Roentgenol 180(3):647–653
Helito CP, Helito PV, Costa HP, Bordalo-Rodrigues M, Pecora JR, Camanho GL, Demange MK (2014) MRI evaluation of the anterolateral ligament of the knee: assessment in routine 1.5-T scans. Skeletal Radiol 43(10):1421–1427
Helito CP, Bonadio MB, Rozas JS, Wey JM, Pereira CA, Cardoso TP, Pecora JR, Camanho GL, Demange MK (2016) Biomechanical study of strength and stiffness of the knee anterolateral ligament. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 17(1):193
Henle J (1872) Bänderlhre. In: Handbuch der systematischen Anatomie des Menschen, Braunschweig. 8vo. Band III, abth.2, Lief. I.Nervenlehre
Hewison CE, Tran MN, Kaniki N, Remtulla A, Bryant D, Getgood AM (2015) Lateral extra-articular tenodesis reduces rotational laxity when combined with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review of the literature. Arthroscopy. doi:10.1016/j.arthro.2015.04.089
Hughston JC, Andrews JR, Cross MJ, Moschi A (1976) Classification of knee ligament instabilities. Part II. The lateral compartment. J Bone Joint Surg Am 58(2):173–179
Ingham SJ, de Carvalho RT, Martins CA, Lertwanich P, Abdalla RJ, Smolinski P, Lovejoy CO, Fu FH (2015) Anterolateral ligament anatomy: a comparative anatomical study. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. doi:10.1007/s00167-015-3956-2
Ireland J, Trickey EL (1980) Macintosh tenodesis for anterolateral instability of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Br 62(3):340–345
Irvine GB, Dias JJ, Finlay DB (1987) Segond fractures of the lateral tibial condyle: brief report. J Bone Joint Surg Br 69(4):613–614
Johnson LL (1979) Lateral capsular ligament complex: anatomical and surgical considerations. Am J Sports Med 7(3):156–160
Jost A (1921) Sur la morphogénèse et le rôle fonctionnel des ligaments épicondylo-méniscaux du genou. In: Compte rendu de la société de biologie, vol LXXXIV
Kennedy MI, Claes S, Fuso FA, Williams BT, Goldsmith MT, Turnbull TL, Wijdicks CA, LaPrade RF (2015) The anterolateral ligament: an anatomic, radiographic, and biomechanical analysis. Am J Sports Med 43(7):1606–1615
Kittl C, El-Daou H, Athwal KK, Gupte CM, Weiler A, Williams A, Amis AA (2016) The role of the anterolateral structures and the ACL in controlling laxity of the intact and ACL-deficient knee. Am J Sports Med 44(2):345–354
Kittl C, El-Daou H, Athwal KK, Gupte CM, Weiler A, Williams A, Amis AA (2016) The role of the anterolateral structures and the ACL in controlling laxity of the intact and ACL-deficient knee: response. Am J Sports Med 44(4):NP15–NP18
LaPrade RF (2016) Editorial commentary: defining the anatomy of the anterolateral aspect of the knee among experts is clearly needed. Arthroscopy 32(5):842–843
Lemaire M, Combelles F (1980) Plastic repair with fascia lata for old tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (author’s transl). Rev Chir Orthop Reparatrice Appar Mot 66(8):523–525
Losee RE, Johnson TR, Southwick WO (1978) Anterior subluxation of the lateral tibial plateau. A diagnostic test and operative repair. J Bone Joint Surg Am 60(8):1015–1030
Lubowitz JH, Provencher MT, Brand JC, Rossi MJ (2014) The knee anterolateral ligament. Arthroscopy 30(11):1385–1388
Lutz C, Sonnery-Cottet B, Niglis L, Freychet B, Clavert P, Imbert P (2015) Behavior of the anterolateral structures of the knee during internal rotation. Orthop Traumatol Surg Res 101(5):523–528
Lutz C, Sonnery-Cottet B, Imbert P, Barbosa NC, Tuteja S, Jaeger JH (2016) Combined anterior and anterolateral stabilization of the knee with the iliotibial band. Arthrosc Tech 5(2):e251–e256
Moorman CT III, LaPrade RF (2005) Anatomy and biomechanics of the posterolateral corner of the knee. J Knee Surg 18(2):137–145
Morel CHDM (1883) Manuel de l’anatomiste (anatomie descriptive et dissection), Paris
Mouret J (1891) Considérations sur l’anatomie du genou et étude des luxations des cartilages semi-lunaires, Montpellier
Musahl V, Rahnemai-Azar AA, van Eck CF, Guenther D, Fu FH (2016) Anterolateral ligament of the knee, fact or fiction? Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 24(1):2–3
Nitri M, Rasmussen MT, Williams BT, Moulton SG, Cruz RS, Dornan GJ, Goldsmith MT, LaPrade RF (2016) An in vitro robotic assessment of the anterolateral ligament, part 2: anterolateral ligament reconstruction combined with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Am J Sports Med 44(3):593–601
Parsons EM, Gee AO, Spiekerman C, Cavanagh PR (2015) The biomechanical function of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. Am J Sports Med 43(3):669–674
Parsons EM, Gee AO, Spiekerman C, Cavanagh PR (2015) The biomechanical function of the anterolateral ligament of the knee: response. Am J Sports Med 43(8):NP22
Poirier PCA (1912) Traité d’anatomie humaine, 3° édition, Paris
Porrino J Jr, Maloney E, Richardson M, Mulcahy H, Ha A, Chew FS (2015) The anterolateral ligament of the knee: MRI appearance, association with the Segond fracture, and historical perspective. AJR Am J Roentgenol 204(2):367–373
Rasmussen MT, Nitri M, Williams BT, Moulton SG, Cruz RS, Dornan GJ, Goldsmith MT, LaPrade RF (2016) An in vitro robotic assessment of the anterolateral ligament, part 1: secondary role of the anterolateral ligament in the setting of an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Am J Sports Med 44(3):585–592
Ruiz N, Filippi GJ, Gagniere B, Bowen M, Robert HE (2016) The comparative role of the anterior cruciate ligament and anterolateral structures in controlling passive internal rotation of the knee: a biomechanical study. Arthroscopy 32(6):1053–1062
Saiegh YA, Suero EM, Guenther D, Hawi N, Decker S, Krettek C, Citak M, Omar M (2015) Sectioning the anterolateral ligament did not increase tibiofemoral translation or rotation in an ACL-deficient cadaveric model. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. doi:10.1007/s00167-015-3787-1
Schon JM, Moatshe G, Brady AW, Serra Cruz R, Chahla J, Dornan GJ, Turnbull TL, Engebretsen L, LaPrade RF (2016) Anatomic anterolateral ligament reconstruction of the knee leads to overconstraint at any fixation angle. Am J Sports Med. doi:10.1177/0363546516652607
Seebacher JR, Inglis AE, Marshall JL, Warren RF (1982) The structure of the posterolateral aspect of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Am 64(4):536–541
Segond P (1879) Recherches cliniques et expérimentales sur les épanchements sanguins du genou par entorse. Bureaux du progrès médical 7:297–341
Smith JO, Yasen SK, Lord B, Wilson AJ (2015) Combined anterolateral ligament and anatomic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction of the knee. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 23(11):3151–3156
Sonnery-Cottet B, Archbold P, Rezende FC, Neto AM, Fayard JM, Thaunat M (2014) Arthroscopic identification of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. Arthrosc Tech 3(3):e389–e392
Sonnery-Cottet B, Daggett M, Lutz C, Imbert P, Thaunat M (2015) Outcomes after combined ACL and ALL reconstruction: response. Am J Sports Med 43(7):NP17–NP18
Sonnery-Cottet B, Lutz C, Daggett M, Dalmay F, Freychet B, Niglis L, Imbert P (2016) The involvement of the anterolateral ligament in rotational control of the knee. Am J Sports Med 44(5):1209–1214
Spencer L, Burkhart TA, Tran MN, Rezansoff AJ, Deo S, Caterine S, Getgood AM (2015) Biomechanical analysis of simulated clinical testing and reconstruction of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. Am J Sports Med 43(9):2189–2197
Strickler FP (1937) A satisfactory method of repairing crucial ligaments. Ann Surg 105(6):912–916
Tavlo M, Eljaja S, Jensen JT, Siersma VD, Krogsgaard MR (2015) The role of the anterolateral ligament in ACL insufficient and reconstructed knees on rotatory stability: a biomechanical study on human cadavers. Scand J Med Sci Sports 26(8):960–966
Terry GC, LaPrade RF (1996) The posterolateral aspect of the knee. Anatomy and surgical approach. Am J Sports Med 24(6):732–739
Terry GC, Hughston JC, Norwood LA (1986) The anatomy of the iliopatellar band and iliotibial tract. Am J Sports Med 14(1):39–45
Vallois HV (1914) Etude anatomique de l’articulation du genou chez les primates. Abeille, Montpellier
Vincent JP, Magnussen RA, Gezmez F, Uguen A, Jacobi M, Weppe F, Al-Saati MF, Lustig S, Demey G, Servien E, Neyret P (2012) The anterolateral ligament of the human knee: an anatomic and histologic study. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 20(1):147–152
Weitbrecht J (1752) Desmographie ou description des ligaments du corps humain avec figures. Durand, Paris
Zein AM (2015) Step-by-step arthroscopic assessment of the anterolateral ligament of the knee using anatomic landmarks. Arthrosc Tech 4(6):e825–e831
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Funding
There is no funding source.
Ethical approval
This chapter does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.
Informed consent
For this type of study formal consent is not required.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cavaignac, E., Ancelin, D., Chiron, P. et al. Historical perspective on the “discovery” of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 25, 991–996 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-016-4349-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-016-4349-x