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Discoid lateral meniscus in children: magnetic resonance imaging after arthroscopic resection

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

The discoid meniscus is a common meniscal anomaly. Symptomatic discoid menisci treated by arthroscopic surgery were examined preoperatively and postoperatively by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Aim of this study was to quantify the amount of meniscal resection when treating discoid meniscus in children by partial meniscectomy. The hypothesis was that partial meniscectomy left sufficient amounts of meniscal tissue.

Methods

A quantitative evaluation of meniscal size comparing preoperative and postoperative data after partial meniscectomy was performed by MRI (n = 6). The anteroposterior meniscal diameter and anterior and posterior thickness were measured. The relative postoperative thickness to preoperative thickness was defined. All patients were graded according to Lysholm score and Ikeuchi knee scale.

Results

The quantitative MRI evaluation showed a pronounced reduction of the anteroposterior meniscal diameter (42%) and anterior thickness (41%) after partial meniscectomy, whereas the posterior thickness showed a mean increase of 50%. According to Ikeuchi, all clinical postoperative findings were excellent and displayed an increase in Lysholm score.

Conclusions

MRI findings showed that the amount of remaining tissue after partial meniscectomy was smaller than aspired. Especially in the anterior joint, the final size of remaining meniscal tissue was overestimated intraoperatively. It may be concluded that in arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, the final meniscal size, especially in the anterior part of the joint, is difficult to assess. As it is known that the extent of meniscal resection plays a crucial role in the clinical course of discoid menisci, these data claim retentiveness in resecting meniscal tissue.

Level of evidence

Therapeutic case series, Level IV.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital of Munich (LMU), Campus Großhadern, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany

    Susanne Mayer-Wagner, Alessandro von Liebe, Andreas Scharpf, Volkmar Jansson & Peter E. Müller

  2. Department of Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Campus Großhadern, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany

    Annie Horng & Christian Glaser

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany

    Tobias Vogel

  4. Praxisgemeinschaft Heimeranplatz, Heimeranplatz 2, 80339, Munich, Germany

    Wolfgang Mayer

Authors
  1. Susanne Mayer-Wagner
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  2. Alessandro von Liebe
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  3. Annie Horng
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  4. Andreas Scharpf
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  5. Tobias Vogel
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  6. Wolfgang Mayer
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  7. Volkmar Jansson
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  8. Christian Glaser
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  9. Peter E. Müller
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susanne Mayer-Wagner.

Additional information

C. Glaser and P. E. Müller contributed equally.

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Mayer-Wagner, S., von Liebe, A., Horng, A. et al. Discoid lateral meniscus in children: magnetic resonance imaging after arthroscopic resection. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 19, 1920–1924 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1523-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1523-z

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