Unhappy triad

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Unhappy triad
Classification and external resources
Knee
ICD-10 S83.7

An unhappy triad (or terrible triad, or O'Donoghue's triad[1]) is an injury to the knee. It commonly occurs in contact sports (such as American football). The mechanism for this injury occurs when a lateral (outside) force to the knee is received while the foot is fixed on the ground in external rotation.

Contents

[edit] Structures in triad

This scenario causes an injury to three knee structures:

The inclusion of the lateral meniscus in the triad has been recently ascertained as it previously had been incorrectly postulated that the medial meniscus was the third component.[2]

[edit] Terminology

The term "unhappy triad" was coined by O'Donoghue in 1950.[2][3][4] However, since then, this term and the term "terrible triad" have also been used to describe several other combinations of joint injuries, including those of the elbow[5] and shoulder.[6]

The term "terrible triad" is also sometimes used in the popular press to describe conditions relating to pain, or even to refer to the MacDonald triad.

[edit] See also

[edit] Additional images

Left knee-joint from behind, showing interior ligaments.

Capsule of right knee-joint (distended). Posterior aspect.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Shelbourne K, Nitz P (1991). "The O'Donoghue triad revisited. Combined knee injuries involving anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligament tears". Am J Sports Med 19 (5): 474–7. doi:10.1177/036354659101900509. PMID 1962712. 
  2. ^ a b Barber F (1992). "What is the terrible triad?". Arthroscopy 8 (1): 19–22. PMID 1550645. 
  3. ^ O'Donoghue D (1950). "Surgical treatment of fresh injuries to the major ligaments of the knee". J Bone Joint Surg Am 32 (A:4): 721–38. PMID 14784482. 
  4. ^ O'Donoghue D. "The unhappy triad: Etiology, diagnosis and treatment". Am J Orthop 6: 242–7 PASSIM. PMID 14237439. 
  5. ^ Pugh D, McKee M (2002). "The "terrible triad" of the elbow". Tech Hand Up Extrem Surg 6 (1): 21–9. doi:10.1097/00130911-200203000-00005. PMID 16520629. 
  6. ^ Simonich S, Wright T. "Terrible triad of the shoulder". J Shoulder Elbow Surg 12 (6): 566–8. doi:10.1016/S1058-2746(03)00216-7. PMID 14671520. 

[edit] External links

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Dislocations/subluxations, sprains and strains (Sx3 where x=0 to 9, 830-848)
Neck (x=1)
Shoulder and upper arm (x=4)
Hip and thigh (x=7)
Knee and lower leg (x=8)
Ankle and foot (x=9)
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