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Case 10

History:

35 year old male chronic knee pain

Findings:

An anteroposterior radiograph showed ossification corresponding to the medial collateral ligament.

Diagnosis:

Pellegrini Stieda Syndrome

Discussion:

The Pellegrini-Stieda “sign” is commonly seen in patients who have a history of trauma to the medial collateral ligament of the knee. Although most are asymptomatic, a few patients will develop the characteristic Pellegrini-Stieda syndrome, which can be severely limiting. When conservative measures fail, surgical treatment consisting of excision of the bony fragment with careful repair of the medial collateral ligament can eradicate the symptoms.

References:

  • Harris JH, et al. Knee. The Radiology of Emergency Medicine. Williams & Wilkins. Baltimore, Maryland; 1993:950-958.
  • Resnick D. Soft Tissues. Bone and Joint Imaging. W.B. Saunders, Co., Philadelphia; 1989:1280-1281.
  • Rogers LF. The Knee and Shafts of the Tibia and Fibula. Radiology of Skeletal Trauma, Volume 2. Churchill Livingstone, New York; 1992:1223.