knee
Meniscal Tears and Root Injuries
intermediate
6 min
28 marks
6 questions
Clinical Scenario
A 35-year-old female presents with right knee pain and mechanical symptoms following a twisting injury 6 weeks ago. She reports intermittent locking, catching, and giving way. The knee swells after activity. Clinical examination reveals joint line tenderness medially, positive McMurray test with a painful click on external rotation, and a small effusion. The knee has full range of motion with no ligamentous instability.
MRI of the knee is provided.
MRI of the knee is provided.
Clinical image for Meniscal Tears and Root Injuries
Source: Combined Inside-Out and All-Inside Technique in Bucket-Handle Meniscus Tears • PMC5035687 • CC-BY
Questions
Question 1 (4 marks)
Describe the anatomy of the menisci. What are the functions and why are they biomechanically important?
Question 2 (5 marks)
How would you classify meniscal tears? Describe the common tear patterns and their characteristics.
Question 3 (6 marks)
Describe your clinical assessment of a patient with suspected meniscal pathology. What imaging would you order?
Question 4 (5 marks)
What factors determine whether a meniscal tear is repairable? Describe the surgical options.
Question 5 (4 marks)
Describe your technique for arthroscopic meniscal repair. What are the key principles?
Question 6 (4 marks)
What are meniscal root tears? How do they differ from standard tears and what is the treatment approach?