Patterns of Meniscal Damage Associated with Acute ACL Rupture

Background/Aim: Meniscal injuries commonly occur in conjunction with ACL tears. This study was conducted to determine the patterns of meniscus damage associated with ACL rupture and identify the commonest type of meniscus damage in our population that is associated with ACL tear. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients with ACL rupture seen at the Orthopedics Department, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data collection included the presence or absence of meniscal tear, the type of meniscal tear diagnosed by MRI or arthroscopy, the time of the initial ACL injury and the time of meniscal tear, the duration between ACL rupture and reconstruction surgery, age, gender and level of sports activity performed. ACL tears associated with meniscal tears were diagnosed by MRI. Results: Of 294 patients, 175 (59.7%) had medial meniscal tear, 91 (30.9%) had lateral meniscal tear and 28 patients (9.5%) with both medial and lateral tear. Mean age of patients was 27.98 ± 6.8 years. Patients who had medial tears were significantly older (29.10 ± 7.0years) compared to lateral (26.24 ± 5.9 years) and both (26.61 ± 6.7 years), p=0.002. There were no significant differences in the height, weight and BMI, level of sport and mode of injury in between the three groups. Conclusion: Tears to the medial meniscus appeared to be the more common in ACL cases in our setting. The preponderance of the injury to the medial meniscus is associated to the older age of the patients at presentation.