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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy
Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 12/2011

01-12-2011 | Knee

A clinical sign to detect root avulsions of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus

Authors: Romain Seil, Klaus Dück, Dietrich Pape

Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy | Issue 12/2011

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Abstract

Purpose

The goal of the present report was to describe a new clinical sign to make a clinical diagnosis of meniscal extrusion related to medial meniscal root avulsion.

Methods

Description of an easy clinical sign to detect extrusion of the medial meniscus at the anteromedial joint line. A varus stress test was applied in full extension before and after transosseous repair of an isolated traumatic avulsion of the posterior root of the medial meniscus in a 21-year-old patient. The clinical sign was verified by sectioning of the meniscotibial ligament during knee arthroplasty surgery in 3 patients.

Results

With a deficient posterior root, the clinical sign was positive, showing anteromedial extrusion under varus stress. After repair and at clinical follow-up, extrusion was normalized.

Conclusion

Making the clinical diagnosis of medial meniscus extrusion after knee injury by applying a simple varus stress test to the knee and palpating the anteromedial meniscal extrusion might help physicians to suspect a medial meniscus root tear in the early stages after the injury as well as to evaluate its reduction after repair. A varus stress test in full extension should be performed systematically in patients where a root tear of the medial meniscus is suspected as well as after surgery to evaluate the success of the repair.

Level of evidence

IV.
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Metadata
Title
A clinical sign to detect root avulsions of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus
Authors
Romain Seil
Klaus Dück
Dietrich Pape
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy / Issue 12/2011
Print ISSN: 0942-2056
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7347
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1550-9

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