Clinical Characteristics of Isolated Meniscal Tear.
- Author:
Ryuh Sup KIM
1
;
Myung Ku KIM
;
Kyu Jung CHO
;
Suk Myun KO
;
Chang Sun KIM
;
Hyun Woo PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon,Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Meniscal tear;
Clinical characteristics;
Degenerative change
- MeSH:
Arthroscopy;
Humans;
Incidence;
Menisci, Tibial;
Rupture
- From:The Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
2000;35(2):219-224
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Of all meniscal tears, isolated meniscal tear accounted for about 20%~30%. Also only a few reports in the literature dealt with isolated meniscal tear, which has a lower repairability and healing rate compared to patients with meniscal tear associated with ACL rupture. This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical characteristics of isolated meniscal tear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between June, 1996 and May, 1999, 170 cases confirmed to have a meniscal tear by arthroscopy, were included in this study. We analysed clinical characteristics, according to the type of injury, medial meniscal tear versus lateral meniscal tear, type and site of meniscal tear, as well as possibility of repair. RESULTS: The frequency of medial meniscus tear is more common than that of lateral meniscus tear. Additionally, the most common cause of meniscal tear was non- contact injury. Of the total isolated meniscal tears, 20.5% were repaired. CONCLUSION: In our case, the incidence of medial meniscus tear is higher than that of the lateral meniscus tear, but this study noted a significantly low incidence of repairablity in isolated meniscal tear. Based on preliminary findings in this study, we consider degenerative change of meniscus as the most important factor explaining the clinical characteristics of meniscus tear in patients, especially, over the age of 30.
