Discoid Meniscus: Arthroscopic Classification , Pattern of the Tear and Treatment

Bin, Sung Il; Jeong, Yong Gab

Abstract

Discoid meniscus has been defined as a morphological anomaly, and several clinical classification has been proposed. Commonly used classification is Watanabes classification; complete, incomplete and Wrisberg ligament type discoid meniscus. It is a relatively more common disease of the knee in Korea and Japan than western countries. Eighty-one discoid meniscal tears which were operated arthroscopically between the period of June, 1991 and August, 1996 were reviewed retrospectively. The purpose of this study is to analyze the pattern of the tear and the extent of arthroscopic resection according to the arthroscopic classification of the discoid meniscus. Thirty-three cases were classified as complete and forty-five cases as incomplete and three cases were Wrisberg ligament type. The major pattern of the tear in the complete type lesions was horizon- tal(in twenty-three) and complex(in seven) tear. Of the knees that had an incomplete type lesion, longitudinal(in ten including six bucket-handle tear) and degenerative tear(in eight) were observed more frequently, and horizontal tear(in ten) less frequently than that of the complete type. The extent of arthroscopic resection of the discoid meniscus was related to the pattern of tear and type of the discoid meniscus. For the majority of the horizontal tear, arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (twentyeight of thirty-four) was performed, but arthroscopic subtotal and total meniscectomy was performed more frequently for longitudinal tear, complex tear, and Wrisberg ligament type.