Unhappy Triad of the Knee: A Narrative Review
Mohammad Daher1 BSc, Sami Abi Farraj1 BSc, Bryan Youssef1BSc, Ralph Chalhoub1 BSc, Michel Estephan2 MD, Emil Haikal3 MD and Jad Mansour3* MD
1Orthopedics department, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon; Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
2Department of Emergency Medicine, Lebanese American University Medical Center-Rizk Hospital, Lebanese American University, School of Medicine, Lebanon.
3Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Lebanese American University-Rizk Hospital and Lebanese American University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 11-3288, Beirut, Lebanon.
*Corresponding Author: Jad Mansour, MD, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Lebanese American University-Rizk Hospital and Lebanese American University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 11-3288, Beirut, Lebanon.
Received: March 19, 2022 Published: April 14, 2022
Abstract
Background: The unhappy triad also known as O'Donoghue's triad was first described in 1936 as a combination of injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and medial meniscus resulting from one initiating factor.
Methods: A review of the literature was conducted using PUBMED in order to gain a better understanding of this entity and make it easier to find.
Results: This triad faced and still is facing a lot of changes and may even potentially become a tetrad. It is most commonly seen in athletes and is usually managed surgically. The triad must also be suspected when there is a longitudinal tear of the lateral meniscus with a horizontal component at and central to the popliteal hiatus.
Conclusion: The triad associating injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament, medial meniscus and medial collateral ligament evolved to replace the medial with the lateral meniscus and add a new entity which is an injury to the anterolateral complex potentially becoming a tetrad.
Keywords: unhappy triad; O'Donoghue's triad; sports injuries; menisci; ACL; MCL; LCL
Citation: Daher M, Farraj SA, Youssef B, Chalhoub R, Estephan M, Haikal E, Mansour J. “Unhappy Triad of the Knee: A Narrative Review”. SVOA Orthopaedics 2:2 (2022) Pages 50-54.