DISCOID MENISCUS

Course overview

MENISCI ARE TWO CRESCENT-SHAPED STRUCTURES IN THE KNEE THAT ACT AS SHOCK ABSORBERS BETWEEN THE FEMUR AND TIBIA, DISSIPATING STRESS AND DISPERSING COMPRESSIVE LOADS. FUNCTIONS INCLUDE FORCE TRANSMISSION, INCREASE JOINT CONGRUENCY, AND SECONDARY STABILIZATION OF THE KNEE. A DISCOID MENISCUS IS AN ANATOMICAL VARIANT FROM THE NORMAL CRESCENT-SHAPED MENISCUS. THESE VARIANTS ARE MORE COMMONLY DISPOSED TO INJURY IN COMPARISON TO A NORMALLY SHAPED MENISCUS. WHEN THESE VARIANTS ARE PRESENT AND SYMPTOMATIC, THEY CAN OFTEN LEAD TO PAIN AND A POPPING SENSATION WITHIN THE KNEE, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS “POPPING KNEE SYNDROME. MANAGEMENT CONSISTS OF OBSERVATION VERSUS ARTHROSCOPIC SAUCERIZATION WITH OR WITHOUT MENISCAL REPAIR BASED ON MORPHOLOGY AND PATIENT PRESENTATION. THIS ACTIVITY WILL DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND FOLLOW-UP.