Title: Arthroscopic Evaluation of Incidence of Meniscal Injuries in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Deficient Knee Joints
Authors: Krishnagopal R , Jose Ashish K, Thayumana SundaramG, Surendher Kumar R
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v4i10.32
Abstract
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is the most commonly injured ligament in the knee joint. The incidence of meniscal injuries associated with ACL tears has been reported to be very high. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of meniscal injuries in ACL deficient knee joints and to analyze the site of meniscal tear in acute versus chronic ACL deficient knees. 50 patients in the age group of 18-50 years with internal derangement of knee, who underwent arthroscopic ACL reconstruction in our institute during the period May 2012 - July 2014were included in the study. The incidence of meniscal tears was assessed and related to the time from injury to surgery. We divided the patients into an early group (surgery within 6 months of injury) and a late group (surgery more than 6 months after injury). There was a significantly higher incidence of meniscal tears in patients undergoing ACL reconstruction in the late group as compared to those in the early group (59% vs 94%). There was also a significant difference in the site of meniscal tear in both the groups. This was due to a large increase in medial meniscal tears in the late group. We concluded that the incidence of meniscal tears in ACL deficient knees increases with time and that lateral meniscal tear occurs more frequently in acute ACL injury while the incidence of medial meniscal tear increases with time due to instability.
Keywords: ACL injury. Meniscal tear, Arthroscopy.
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