Morphometric Analysis Of Menisci Of The Knee Joint In Adult Human Cadavers Of North Karnataka - A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The menisci of the knee have been described as ‘C’ shaped wedges of fibrocartilage located between the condyles of the tibia and the femur. Meniscal function is essential to normal functioning of knee joint and acts as joint filler compensating for gross incongruity between femoral and tibial articulating surfaces. Since the size of the meniscus is related to its function, any procedure to replace the cartilage must be accompanied by measurement techniques to determine meniscal size. Hence this study was conducted to analyze morphometric parameters of menisci and its variations in cadavers of North Karnataka. Methods: This study was done on 120 menisci from 60 human knees, 29 right and 31 left. Morphological variants of the shape of the menisci were macroscopically noted and classified. The thickness, the width, peripheral and inner border length, distance between anterior and posterior horns of the adult menisci were measured using standard techniques. Students unpaired ‘t’ test was employed for statistical analysis. Results: It was observed that 96.66% of medial menisci were cresentic in shape, 1.66% were sided V shaped and 1.66% showed sickle shaped. Among the lateral menisci 88.33% were C shaped, 6.66% showed sided U shape and 5% showed incomplete discoid. Peripheral length (99.8mm) and inner border length (60.3mm) of medial menisci were higher than those of lateral menisci and statistically significant. Posterior third of medial menisci was the widest portion. No significant difference was observed in thickness of the medial and lateral menisci. Distance between anterior horn and posterior horn was more for medial menisci. Significant differences were not observed in various morphometric parameters of the menisci between the right and left knees except for the peripheral length which was greater for left sided medial menisci. Interpretation and Conclusion: The results of this study with respect to the morphometric analysis of menisci are consistent with the results of various studies mentioned in the literature. The study has provided additional information on different shapes and measurements of the medial and lateral menisci of North Karnataka population with contribution to a better delineation of meniscal anatomy and implications in regard to allograft meniscus transplantation.