A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS OF RIGHT AND LEFT MENISCI OF THE KNEE JOINT

Context: The objective of this study was to collect data and find morphometric variations in the medial meniscus of knee joint of human beings as available data is scarce on the menisci as such.

Aims: The study was conducted to provide a baseline data on medial meniscus for morphometric parameters and to find out variation in the form in length and width of medial meniscus which may help to determine the possibility and kind of injury to medial menisci

Materials and Methods: The medial menisci from 60 knees of 30 adult male cadavers were properly dissected and dried. The following parameters was taken:

1. Weight
2. Inner circumference
3. Outer circumference
4. Width

Weight: Weight was taken by electronic balance and three readings were taken in grams by three different individuals and average of three readings was calculated and recorded. For parameters 2, 3, 4 following method was applied:

As shown in figure of medial meniscus on next page, three points were marked on medial meniscus. 1st point on anterior cornu called anterior apical point and 2nd point on posterior cornu on convex side called posterior apical point of outer circumference point and 3rd point on posterior cornu on concave side called posterior apical point of inner circumference.

Inner Circumference: The concave length of the inner circumference from anterior apical point to posterior apical point on the the inner circumference was measured by silk thread and was divided by 3 points A, B, C into 4 equal parts.

Outer Circumference: The convex length of the outer circumference from anterior apical point to posterior apical point on the outer circumference was measured and similarly this was divided by 3 points A’, B’, C’ into 4 equal parts.

Discussion: The posterior segment of medial meniscus is the widest segment and anterior segment is the shortest and middle segment is the thickest and also that on comparison no statistical significant difference exists between right and left meniscus.