Meniscal injuries of the knee: clinical and arthroscopic study

ABSTRACT

104 patients diagnosed as or suspected to have a torn meniscus were subjected to arthroscopic examination before arthrotomy. The patients were classified into three groups. A60 patients with obvious clinical diagnosis. B34 patients, meniscal injury was suspected but clinical diagnosis inconclusive. C10 patients with vague knee pain in which a torn meniscus could be contributory. In the whole series arthroscopic diagnosis was wrong in 8 out of 104 patients. [6 medial and 2 lateral meniscus] and on arthrotomy the meniscus was found free [diagnostic error was 7.7%]. Clinical diagnosis was wrong or inaccurate in 22 patients and in 10 patients diagnosis was not sure with minimal objective findings. In the 22 patients with wrong or inaccurate clinical diagnosis, the meniscus was found free in 16 [10 medial and 6 lateral]. In 6 other patients there was associated tear of the lateral meniscus [diagnostic error was 30.7%]