PATTERNS OF MENISCAL TEARS ASSOCIATED WITH ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENTLESIONS IN ATHLETES

In this study, 400 clinically anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficie nt knees were arthroscoped and studied prospectively in the period jan uary 1986 to April 1992. An ACL fear was always confirmed, and 41 per cent of these patients did not have an associated meniscal tear. In 30 .2 5 per cent the lateral meniscus was torn; in 21.25 per cent the ACL tear was associated with a medial meniscus tear, and in the remaining 7 per cent both menisci were torn. The most frequently associated men iscal injury was the bucket handle tear of the medial meniscus (9 per cent), followed by the posterior horn tear of the lateral meniscus, wh ich showed the same frequency as the ragged (or degenerated) tear of t he lateral meniscus (6 per cent). The horizontal tear of the posterior part of the lateral meniscus showed a prevalence of 4.3 per cent. Thi s picture is probably dependent on a secondary referral nature of the centre surveyed, in which the average time between injury and arthrosc opy was 23.3 months.