Journal of anatomy
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In 1879, the French surgeon Segond described the existence of a 'pearly, resistant, fibrous band' at the anterolateral aspect of the human knee, attached to the eponymous Segond fracture. To date, the enigma surrounding this anatomical structure is reflected in confusing names such as '(mid-third) lateral capsular ligament', 'capsulo-osseous layer of the iliotibial band' or 'anterolateral ligament', and no clear anatomical description has yet been provided. In this study, the presence and characteristics of Segond's 'pearly band', hereafter termed anterolateral ligament (ALL), was investigated in 41 unpaired, human cadaveric knees. ⋯ The ALL was found to be a distinct ligamentous structure at the anterolateral aspect of the human knee with consistent origin and insertion site features. By providing a detailed anatomical characterization of the ALL, this study clarifies the long-standing enigma surrounding the existence of a ligamentous structure connecting the femur with the anterolateral tibia. Given its structure and anatomic location, the ALL is hypothesized to control internal tibial rotation and thus to affect the pivot shift phenomenon, although further studies are needed to investigate its biomechanical function.