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The menisco‐femoral ligaments
Author(s) -
Wan A. C. T.,
Felle Patric K.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
clinical anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1098-2353
pISSN - 0897-3806
DOI - 10.1002/ca.980080503
Subject(s) - medicine , anatomy , anterior cruciate ligament , femur , posterior cruciate ligament , medial meniscus , ligament , cadaver , meniscus , lateral meniscus , articular capsule of the knee joint , knee joint , osteoarthritis , surgery , pathology , alternative medicine , physics , incidence (geometry) , optics
The menisco‐femoral ligaments were studied in 60 knees from 30 dissecting room cadavers. The anterior horns of the menisci were attached to the intercondylar area of the femur by discrete antero‐medial or antero‐lateral menisco‐femoral ligaments, separate from the anterior cruciate ligament, in 15% of knees for each meniscus, more frequently than previously appreciated; these anterior horn ligaments may exacerbate a meniscal tear. The posterior horn of the lateral meniscus was connected with the intercondylar area of the femur in 100% of knees. In 93% of knees a ligament ran behind the posterior cruciate ligament while in 33% of knees a ligament ran in front of the posterior eruciate ligament. We propose renaming these the pre‐cruciate postero‐lateral menisco‐femoral ligament and post‐cruciate postero‐lateral menisco‐femoral ligament , respectively, to avoid confusion with the ligaments of the anterior horns. The menisco‐femoral ligaments may function in controlling movement of the menisci, especially during rotation of the knee. The posterior horn of the medial meniscus has no direct femoral attachment and this may be a factor in the increased risk of injury to this meniscus. © 1995 WiIey‐Liss, Inc.