Greater Detail Is Needed When Reporting Schenck Knee Dislocation V Injuries in the Orthopaedic Literature: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Purpose

To examine how knee dislocations (KDs) with associated periarticular fractures classified using the Schenck KD V subcategory are reported in the literature.

Methods

PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Scopus were queried in January 2024. Studies were included if full-text articles in English were available, the Schenck KD classification system was used, and Schenck KD class V was mentioned. The exclusion criteria were as follows: studies in which the Schenck KD classification system was used but only KD classes I to IV were mentioned; systematic reviews, meta-analyses, review articles, commentaries, surgical technique articles, or animal studies; or studies in which pediatric patients were included. Studies were systematically examined for details regarding the descriptions of KD V injuries, including fracture and ligament tear patterns.

Results

Seventy-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Of these 74 studies, 45 (60.8%) provided no description of either the ligament tear or fracture patterns that were present in KD V injuries. Fifty-two studies (70.3%) provided no description of the ligament tear patterns and 51 studies (68.9%) provided no description of the fracture patterns associated with KD V injuries. Only 16 of 74 studies (21.6%) included descriptions of ligament tear patterns and fractures present in KD V injuries.

Conclusions

Descriptions of Schenck KD class V are poorly represented in the orthopaedic literature.

Level of Evidence

Level IV, systematic review of Level II to IV studies.