GC.10267
Lateral meniscus from the right knee joint showing detached posterior horn and a “loose” body.
From en adult male who injured the right knee while serving in the Army. During organised games he fell on the right knee which became painful and swollen. He was admitted to hospital and five weeks later the medial meniscus was removed. Three weeks after discharge from hospital his right knee locked with considerable associated pain. He managed to unlock it himself. Afterwards he was much troubled with the knee, having pain and frequent locking which he reduced by forcible extension. On examination there was wasting of the quadriceps, and the joint movements were full but painful and accompanied by crepitus. On palpation pain was felt on the medial side posteriorly. Extension of the flexed knee did not produce a click and McMurray’s Sign was absent.
Assuming that the trouble was due to a retained posterior horn of the medial meniscus, the joint was opened on the medial side. The medial meniscus had been completely removed and the joint was therefore explored through a lateral approach. A tear was found in the posterior pert of the lateral meniscus, the posterior horn being almost completely detached. A “loose” body with filmy attachment to the posterior part of the anterior cruciate ligament was found and this was likewise removed.
There has been a tear through the posterior part of the lateral meniscus. The detached posterior horn measuring 2 cm. in length shows a thinned margin at the site. of injury. The free extremity of the larger portion is slightly irregular on its surface and suggests some proliferation of the fibro-cartilaginous tissue.
The “loose” body has the appearance of fibre-cartilage and measures 2.5 cm. by 1 cm.
