Discoid lateral meniscus is a congenital difference in the shape and structure of the meniscus that can cause pain, popping, and reduced motion of the knee. This variant may be found in up to 10 percent of some patient populations and is prone to tearing and injury. A retrospective study published in The Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine reviewed data from 867 knees in 784 youth and adolescent patients surgically treated for discoid lateral meniscus to determine demographic, injury, and perioperative risk factors that increase the likelihood of complications and reoperation after treatment.
Key Takeaways
- The study included patients surgically treated for discoid lateral meniscus from nine institutions between 2000 and 2020.
- Young patients often undergo surgery to treat the symptoms of discoid lateral meniscus, and this study demonstrates that about 13 percent of the patients in the study group needed a second surgery, usually because of a re-tear or the meniscus.
- Female patients and patients with more complex meniscus tears were more likely to need a second surgery.
The researchers have formed a multi-center, international group that will be collecting and analyzing data prospectively to better understand the pathology of meniscus tears, outcomes of treatment, and risk factors for failure of current surgical techniques.
Craig Finlayson, MD, Attending Physician in the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is an author of the study. Pediatric research at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is conducted through Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute.
