Percutaneous Lateral Collateral Ligament Release for Arthroscopic Procedures of the Knee: The “Lateral Pie-Crusting”

Arthroscopy of the knee is among the most frequent procedures worldwide in orthopaedic surgery. To avoid iatrogenic cartilage injury, adequate visualization and working space are mandatory to perform complex procedures. Narrow femorotibial joint space is often encountered, and it is challenging to obtain consistent satisfactory results. Medial collateral ligament release is safe and reliable for facilitating medial joint widening. Current clinical studies support lateral collateral ligament (LCL) healing capacity in isolated injuries. This article describes a simple, safe, and reproducible technique of LCL release through a multiple-puncture method to facilitate lateral compartment visualization and instrumentation, the so-called lateral pie-crusting.