Nam-Hong Choi1, Brian N Victoroff. 1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Eulji Medical Center, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Korea. cnh2406@yahoo.com
Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to define the clinical and arthroscopic characteristics of anterior horn tears of the lateral meniscus. TYPE OF STUDY: Case series. METHODS: Fourteen patients with mean age of 20.2 years were enrolled in this institutional review board-approved study. All patients were soccer players with tears of the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus. All patients underwent physical examinations, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and arthroscopic treatment. RESULTS: Common symptoms were a catching sensation in 10 patients (71.4%), pain at squatting in 9 patients (64.3%), and sense of giving way and effusion, each in 7 patients (50%). Five patients (35.7%) had lateral joint-line tenderness. McMurray's test was positive in 6 (42.9%) and tears were diagnosed by MRI in 13 (92.8%) patients. Arthroscopic examination showed multiple longitudinal tears in the avascular white zone of the meniscus in 7 patients (50%). CONCLUSIONS: These data show that the McMurray test and joint-line tenderness had a low diagnostic value in diagnosing anterior horn tears of the lateral meniscus. MRI, however, had a high diagnostic value. Common arthroscopic findings included multiple longitudinal tears within the white zone of the anterior horn. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to define the clinical and arthroscopic characteristics of anterior horn tears of the lateral meniscus. TYPE OF STUDY: Case series. METHODS: Fourteen patients with mean age of 20.2 years were enrolled in this institutional review board-approved study. All patients were soccer players with tears of the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus. All patients underwent physical examinations, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and arthroscopic treatment. RESULTS: Common symptoms were a catching sensation in 10 patients (71.4%), pain at squatting in 9 patients (64.3%), and sense of giving way and effusion, each in 7 patients (50%). Five patients (35.7%) had lateral joint-line tenderness. McMurray's test was positive in 6 (42.9%) and tears were diagnosed by MRI in 13 (92.8%) patients. Arthroscopic examination showed multiple longitudinal tears in the avascular white zone of the meniscus in 7 patients (50%). CONCLUSIONS: These data show that the McMurray test and joint-line tenderness had a low diagnostic value in diagnosing anterior horn tears of the lateral meniscus. MRI, however, had a high diagnostic value. Common arthroscopic findings included multiple longitudinal tears within the white zone of the anterior horn. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.