Abstract

In an attempt to correct anterolateral rotatory instability of the knee, 30 consecutive patients underwent a surgical procedure similar to that described by Ellison, called the iliotibial band transfer. Fashioning the passageway forthe transfer closer to the attachment of the fibular collateral ligament on the femur and meticulous fascial closure over the transplant were not found tobe crucial to success. Twenty-nine of the 30 patients were injured during athletic activities, and the remaining patient was injured in a motorcycle accident. They often complained of an unstable knee with symptoms of pain and giving way. Twenty-eight patients with a minimum followup of nine months (the average followup was 25 months) were evaluated subjectively by an interview and by objective clinical examination Subjective results (including asymptomatic return to their previous level of athletic activity) and clinical improvement of anterolateral rotatory instability (based on the flexion-extensionvalgus test or the Slocum anterolateral rotatory instability test) were encouraging. Areas of concern were that a small number of patients developed asymptomatic varus instability and a few had relative strength deficits which may or may not have long-term significance. Verf.-Referat