Cruciate ligament

Synonym: Ligamenta cruciata, Ligamentum cruciatum anterius, Ligamentum cruciatum posterius

Most people have an anterior and a posterior cruciate ligament in the knee joint. However, there are people who lack one of the two because it was not created. And cruciate ligament injuries must also be considered from this perspective

The cruciate ligaments are part of the stabilizers of the knee joint and serve to guide the movements of the knee joint in their position and condition.

Cruciate ligament injuries are classic sports accidents (skiing, soccer, mountain hiking, inline skating, etc.), where an unexpected rotation of the knee joint occurs, leading to a tear in the anterior cruciate ligament (90%). The posterior cruciate ligament injury is a typical high-speed injury, where the impact on the fixed lower leg from the front leads to a tear in the posterior cruciate ligament.

Due to the lack of stabilizers, the knee joint is significantly impaired in both its movement and stability.

Using new, modern surgical techniques (anatomically minimally invasive), the cruciate ligament is gently replaced by 1 or 2 of the body's own tendons, thus preventing instability and an increase in further knee joint damage.

Because one thing has been proven: If the knee gives out because a cruciate ligament is missing, the other structures in the knee (meniscus, cartilage, collateral ligaments) are affected, tear themselves and lead to a so-called “floppy joint” whose function and stability can no longer be relied upon.

If the knee does not give out AND there is no pain - there is no urgent need for action, but the pivot point of the knee joint shifts to one side of the knee joint and the structures located there are put under more strain than is beneficial for them.

The preferred surgical method is arthroscopic cruciate ligament replacement with tendons from the same side of the thigh. The so-called “all-inside” surgical technique is currently the most modern surgical method. The postoperative results have been scientifically analyzed and show a clear advantage.