[MRI after meniscus and cruciate ligament surgery]

Discoid medial meniscus of both knees: A case report

BACKGROUND

Discoid meniscus is a congenital anomaly that typically affects the lateral meniscus. The appearance of the discoid medial meniscus in both knees is extremely rare, with an incidence of only 0.012%.

CASE SUMMARY

Our patient was a 30-year-old female. Under no obvious predisposing causes, she began to experience pain in both knees, which worsened while walking and squatting. The pain was aggravated after exercise, and joint flexion and extension activities were accompanied by knee snapping. Apley’s test was positive on physical examination, and there was a pressing pain in the medial articular space. Plain radiographs of both knees revealed no obvious abnormalities in the bilateral knee joint space. Partial meniscectomy as well as menisci reformation were performed on both knees under arthroscopy. Under the guidance of rehabilitation, the patient’s range of motion in both knees returned to normal without pain and knee snapping.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that the clinical manifestations of the discoid medial meniscus injury are identical to those of the conventional medial meniscus injury, and arthroscopic surgery is effective.

[Knee and ankle injuries from playing football]

Soccer is the most common sport activity worldwide. Over the last two decades the increase in soccer players has mainly been due to increased interest by females. In general, soccer is a relatively safe sport activity, especially if minor injuries resulting in short periods of absence from playing or training are neglected. However, due to the high number of soccer players severe injuries are also frequent. These are a problem not only for the injured player and the team but may also become problematic for the socio-economic system. In up to 80-90% structures of the lower extremities are injured. For sufficient radiological diagnosis knowledge of the biomechanics of the soccer game and some details about the history of the injury may be of help. To prevent soccer injuries or keep the degree of injury low, special programs had been developed.

[Diagnostic approaches to acute knee injury in childhood and adolescence. Yesterday and today]

INTRODUCTION

Clinical examination of acute knee injury in childhood is often difficult and therefore magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) serves as an additional diagnostic tool. The aim of the present study was to evaluate on the one hand the indications for diagnostic arthroscopy and on the other hand the indications for MRI.

METHODS

Of the children treated between 1990 and 1999, 87 (group 1) underwent arthroscopy after clinical examination. Between 2000 and 2006 (group 2) 83 patients were examined using MRI after clinical examination and 53 were subsequently submitted to arthroscopy.

RESULTS

In group 1 the clinical diagnosis was verified by arthroscopy in 79%. In group 2 the clinical and arthroscopic diagnoses were consistent in 60% of the patients. The MRI diagnosis was correctly recognized for patella dislocation in all cases, for ligament injuries in 83% and for meniscus injuries in 56%. Due to the application of MRI before arthroscopy the fraction of diagnostic arthroscopies could be reduced from 22% to 13%.

CONCLUSION

The number of diagnostic arthroscopies in childhood can be reduced by application of MRI.