What is a Pellegrini-Stieda Lesion?
A Pellegrini-Stieda lesion is a serious injury of the knee that often follows a traumatic accident. There are multiple types of knee injuries ranging from a straightforward sprain to a fracture, a dislocation, or even a tear of the ligament. Some of the ligaments that people might tear include the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the meniscus, or the medial collateral ligaments (MCL). If someone sustains a tear of their MCL, this injury might be followed by the development of a Pellegrini-Stieda lesion.
Injuries of the knee are always serious. This joint plays a critical role in someone’s ability to walk, jump, and move from side to side. Therefore, knee injuries, such as a Pellegrini-Stieda lesion, need to be treated immediately. Understanding the basics of this injury is the first step.
An Overview of a Pellegrini-Stieda Lesion
If someone suffers a direct blow to the knee during a plant and twist event, they are at risk of tearing multiple ligaments. This plant and twist can occur while playing sports or in a traumatic accident. If someone falls from a great height, their knee might twist when it strikes the ground. Individuals can also have their knee pinned and twisted in an auto accident, a bicycle collision, or a motorcycle accident.
If the knee is twisted while it is pinned or planted, this can tear multiple ligaments. If someone tears their MCL, this injury might also cause an avulsion injury of the medial femoral condyle. This is termed a Pellegrini-Stieda lesion.
Diagnosis of this Knee Injury
The actual lesion shows up on medical imaging scans as calcification in the region of the MCL. This calcification develops while a torn MCL begins to heal. At first, people might not notice this lesion at all; however, over time, it might get worse. As the calcifications get larger, people will start to notice pain in their knee. They might have trouble bending their knee or moving it from side to side. Because the calcifications are hard, it can cause pain and discomfort in the knee while also restricting its range of motion.
A doctor may use an x-ray or an MRI to confirm the presence of the lesion. Because they are calcified, they will light up on these images. Furthermore, the MCL might also appear thicker than usual. These signs are all evidence that a serious knee injury involving the MCL has occurred in the past.
Treatment of this Lesion
If someone has been diagnosed with this lesion, the first step is conservative management. People will be enrolled in physical therapy and might be given steroid injections. This is done to improve the range of motion of the knee while also reducing inflammation.
In some cases, this will not be enough to treat a Pellegrini-Stieda lesion. In this situation, surgery will be required. A trained surgeon will remove the calcifications. He or she might also have to reconstruct the MCL. This is necessary for restoring strength, flexibility, and range of motion in the knee. The prognosis will depend on the size of the calcifications and whether or not surgery is required.
Roseville Personal Injury Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Roseville Personal Injury Lawyer. A Pellegrini-Stieda lesion is a serious knee injury that might lead to a prolonged recovery. Individuals who have developed a knee injury due to the negligence of another person or entity should contact me at (800) 404-5400 or (916) 921-6400 to receive free, friendly legal guidance and advice.
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