OBJECTIVETo evaluate clinical efficacy of suture anchors in treating acute injuries of medial collateral ligament (MCL) of knee at degree III.

METHODSTwenty-seven patients with degree III acute MCL injuries of knee were treated with suture anchors from January 2007 to June 2011. There were 15 males and 12 females, aged from 19 to 56 (averaged 32.6) years old. The time from injury to operation was 3 to 10 days, averaged 6 days. Symptoms and physical signs before and after treatment were observed, Lysholm scoring were used to evluated clinical efficacy.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 16 to 30 months with an average of 21.6 months. The stability of knee joints was good in all patients. Abduction stress test was negative when the knee joint was straightened at 0 degrees and flexed at 30 degrees. The average degree of flexed knee (67.00 +/- 5.80) degrees preoperatively was lower than that of postoperatively (136.50 +/- 6.30) degrees at 1 year. According to Lysholm scoring, preoperative scores ranged from 30 to 43 points, averaged 36.46 +/- 1.48; 1 year after operation ranged from 87 to 100 with an average of 91.50 +/- 3.80 and higher than postoperative. Twenty patients got an excellent results, 5 good and 2 fair.

CONCLUSIONSuture anchors in treating acute injuries of medial collateral ligament of knee at degree III has following advantages: small range of tissue dissection, easy to operate, reliable fixation and less complications.