What is a Segond Fracture?
A Segond fracture is a serious knee injury that can occur in a variety of ways. This knee trauma consists of two separate criteria. The first criterion is an avulsion fracture of the tibia. This fracture is at the top of the tibia, where it joins the femur to form a part of the knee joint. In an avulsion fracture, a portion of the bone is torn away from the rest of the shaft. The second criterion of a Segond fracture is a disruption of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is seen in about 75 percent of cases.
Clearly, this dual injury is significant and can lead to serious disruption of the knee joint. Therefore, it is important for individuals everywhere to understand the basics of a Segond fracture. The good news is that there are treatment options available.
The Clinical Presentation of a Segond Fracture
There are several ways that someone might suffer a Segond fracture. Some of the most common mechanisms include a slip and fall injury, certain sports (particularly skiing and basketball), and motor vehicle accidents. This type of fracture takes place when the knee joint is rotated inward while also sustaining an impact delivered from the side. This combination leads to the avulsion fracture of the tibia while also tearing the ACL. In contrast, ACL tears sustained without a bone fracture often result from an isolated force delivered from the opposite direction.
If someone has suffered this serious injury, there are several symptoms that people might notice. First, there is going to be significant pain in and around the knee. Some individuals might also notice a “pop” when their ACL is torn. Typically, people will be unable to bear any weight on the affected leg at all, let alone walk. There will also be immediate swelling and bruising of the knee joint.
Obtaining a Diagnosis
When someone arrives at the doctor’s office, he or she is going to look at the knee for the signs and symptoms discussed above. The physician will probably also perform some physical exam maneuvers on the knee to test strength and range of motion. The symptoms discussed above, combined with an appropriate mechanism, will likely lead to several imaging scans.
The doctor will probably start with an x-ray. The x-ray will be taken from multiple views to get a look at the knee from all angles. A Segond fracture includes an avulsion fracture of the tibia, which the doctor will be looking for on the x-ray.
If the doctor suspects that an ACL tear is also present, an MRI is essential. An x-ray alone is rarely able to accurately diagnose an ACL tear. On the MRI scan, the doctor will be looking for a disruption of the ACL. Sometimes, the tear is complete. In other cases, the tear is partial. In some situations, the meniscus is also torn. If the meniscus is also compromised, this will be spotted on the MRI.
The Treatment of a Segond Fracture
Once the doctor has made a diagnosis, the treatment process will start. In most cases, the bone fracture present in the tibia is very small. Therefore, this fracture alone does not require surgery; however, a disruption of the ACL is going to require surgical correction. This is necessary to alleviate the instability that people are going to feel in their knee in the absence of an intact ligament. If there are other ligament tears present, these can also be repaired during the operation.
After the surgical procedure has been completed, it will take some time to complete the recovery. The tibia fracture will heal over the course of several weeks. Physical therapy will be needed to restore strength and support to the ACL and any other ligament repair procedures. Most people will make a full recovery; however, it will take several months.
Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer. A Segond fracture is a serious injury of the knee that will take several months to heal. Should you suffer a major knee injury in a serious accident due to the negligence of another person or entity, call me at (800) 404-5400 and/or (916) 921-6400 to receive free, friendly legal guidance and advice.
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