Axial alignment of the lower limb in patients with isolated meniscal tear

Meniscal tears do not always result from trauma. To elucidate other factors responsible for meniscal tears, we evaluated the axial alignment of the lower limb in 385 patients (385 menisci) with isolated meniscal tear who were examined between 1972 and 1994. The patients were aged 50 years or less and had no ulceration or defect of articular cartilage of the knee when examined arthroscopically. Of the 385 menisci, 90 were lateral complete discoid; 110, lateral incomplete discoid; 68, lateral semilunar; and 117, medial semilunar. Patients in each of these four groups were divided into four subgroups according to sex and whether there was an obvious history of trauma. The so-called Mikulicz's mechanical axis of the affected side was utilized to evaluate the alignment. The axial alignment of the lower limb was normal in the patients with isolated tears of lateral complete discoid meniscus, lateral incomplete discoid, or lateral semilunar. It appeared that the axial alignment of the lower limb did not have a relationship with the occurrence of these tears. Patients with isolated tears of medial semilunar meniscus without obvious trauma, showed varus deformity of the knee. This deformity appeared to be closely related to the presence of medial meniscal tear. Received for publication on April 23, 1997; accepted on Sept. 9, 1997