Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30046994›Full record

ArticleKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2019

The anterolateral complex of the knee: results from the International ALC Consensus Group Meeting.

Alan Getgood, Charles Brown, Timothy Lording, Andrew Amis, Steven Claes, Andrew Geeslin, Volker Musahl, ALC Consensus Group

Abstract readConsensus Statement
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 149 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
149citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
34.8field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

149 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 367 citations in OpenAlex.

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  12. Association between Kaplan fiber injury and anterolateral tibial subluxation in patients with anterior cruciate ligament injury.Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology · 2026
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89 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 9 institutions in 5 countries.

Alan GetgoodFowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, University of Western Ontario, 3M Centre, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada. alan.getgood@uwo.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4731-4333
Charles BrownInternational Knee and Joint Centre, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Timothy LordingMelbourne Orthopaedic Group, Melbourne, Australia.
Andrew AmisImperial College London, London, UK.
Steven ClaesAZ Herentals, Herentals, Belgium.
Andrew GeeslinWestern Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, USA.
Volker MusahlUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Centre, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
ALC Consensus Group
Imperial College London · GBJoint Research Center · BEKemin (Belgium) · BEUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center · USWestern Michigan University · USFowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic · CAHollywood Orthopaedic Group · AUMelbourne Health · AUWestern University · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The structure and function of the anterolateral complex (ALC) of the knee has created much controversy since the 're-discovery' of the anterolateral ligament (ALL) and its proposed role in aiding control of anterolateral rotatory laxity in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injured knee. A group of surgeons and researchers prominent in the field gathered to produce consensus as to the anatomy and biomechanical properties of the ALC. The evidence for and against utilisation of ALC reconstruction was also discussed, generating a number of consensus statements by following a modified Delphi process. Key points include that the ALC consists of the superficial and deep aspects of the iliotibial tract with its Kaplan fibre attachments on the distal femur, along with the ALL, a capsular structure within the anterolateral capsule. A number of structures attach to the area of the Segond fracture including the capsule-osseous layer of the iliotibial band, the ALL and the anterior arm of the short head of biceps, and hence it is not clear which is responsible for this lesion. The ALC functions to provide anterolateral rotatory stability as a secondary stabiliser to the ACL. Whilst biomechanical studies have shown that these structures play an important role in controlling stability at the time of ACL reconstruction, the optimal surgical procedure has not yet been defined clinically. Concern remains that these procedures may cause constraint of motion, yet no clinical studies have demonstrated an increased risk of osteoarthritis development. Furthermore, clinical evidence is currently lacking to support clear indications for lateral extra-articular procedures as an augmentation to ACL reconstruction. The resulting statements and scientific rationale aim to inform readers on the most current thinking and identify areas of needed basic science and clinical research to help improve patient outcomes following ACL injury and subsequent reconstruction.Level of evidence V.

Indexed as

Anterior Cruciate Ligament ReconstructionBiomechanical PhenomenaHumansKnee JointAnterior cruciate ligamentAnterolateral complexAnterolateral ligamentIliotibial bandKaplan fibres

Identifiers

PMID30046994
OpenAlexW2883979938

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.