Biomechanical analysis of the effects of medial meniscectomy on degenerative osteoarthritis

Med Biol Eng Comput. 2012 Jan;50(1):53-60. doi: 10.1007/s11517-011-0840-1. Epub 2011 Oct 26.

Abstract

To investigate the effects of meniscectomy on degenerative osteoarthritis, a three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model of the human lower limb is constructed from a combination of magnetic resonance (MR) images and computed tomographic (CT) images that can provide anatomically suitable boundary conditions for a knee joint. Four cases, i.e., the intact meniscus, and the partial, sub-total, and total meniscectomy of the medial meniscus are modeled and simulated. We consider that the cartilage-to-cartilage contact area and the peak contact pressure in the meniscus may be significant parameters in evaluating degenerative osteoarthritis. Partial meniscectomy can be regarded as a better treatment than sub-total/total meniscectomy, and a high possibility of degenerative osteoarthritis is anticipated after total meniscectomy. Moreover, medial meniscectomy has the potential to bring about degenerative osteoarthritis in both the medial compartment and the lateral compartment of a knee joint.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Humans
  • Knee Joint / physiopathology
  • Knee Joint / surgery*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Male
  • Menisci, Tibial / physiopathology
  • Menisci, Tibial / surgery*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Osteoarthritis, Knee / etiology*
  • Osteoarthritis, Knee / physiopathology
  • Postoperative Complications / physiopathology*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods