Abstract
Radial cleavage tears of the lateral meniscus are uncommon and may be associated with a meniscal cyst. There is a recognised association of these lesions with radiographically visible erosions of the lateral tibial plateau; however, this association is reported to be rare. We believe this radiographic feature is more common than previously reported and as most reports are limited to the radiology literature it is not widely appreciated by Orthopaedic Surgeons. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of this valuable radiographic sign in patients with a proven radial cleavage tear and draw attention to it among Orthopaedic Surgeons.
We identified 20 patients from our prospectively collected database that had undergone an arthroscopic partial lateral meniscectomies for radial cleavage tears of the lateral menisci. A consultant radiologist (NS) independently assessed the pre-operative radiographs of these patients, specifically looking for the presence of erosions of the tibiae below the lateral joint line. Of 20 patients assessed 9(45%) had radiographically visible bone erosions.
Our study confirms our clinical experience that patients with symptoms and signs suggestive of a radial cleavage tear of the lateral meniscus frequently have an associated plain radiographic sign to support the clinical diagnosis.
The abstracts were prepared by Professor A. J. Thurston. Correspondence should be addressed to him at the Department of Surgery, Wellington School of Medicine, PO Box 7343, Wellington South, New Zealand
