A new knee ligament has been discovered by knee surgeons at the University Hospitals Leuven, called the anterolateral ligament.
D.r Steven Claes and Dr. Johan Bellemans have for years been trying to figure out why some people who have successful ACL surgery and rehabilitation still experience their knee giving way while walking or doing other activities.
Starting from a French surgeon writing in 1879 about an additional ligament, the doctors searched for and found the ligament, and have provided the first full anatomical desciption of it.
“Their research shows that the ligament, ALL, was noted to be present in all but one of the 41 cadaveric knees studied,” according to a university press release. “Subsequent research shows that pivot shift, the giving way of the knee in patients with an ACL tear, is caused by an injury in the ALL ligament.”
The Anatomical Society praised the research as “very refreshing” and said it reminds the medical world that despite the advancement of modern technology, our knowledge of the human body isn’t complete.
“The research questions current medical thinking about serious ACL injuries and could signal a breakthrough in the treatment of patients with serious ACL injuries,” according to the release. “Dr Claes and Professor Bellemans are currently working on a surgical technique to correct ALL injuries. Those results will be ready in several years.”
ACL tears are common among athletes in pivot-heavy sports such as soccer, basketball, skiing and football.
The researchers published a study about the new ligament in the Journal of Anatomy.
