Abstract
Objectives:
The microvasculature of the human meniscus has been previously described by Arnoczky and Warren. However, to date the qualitative and quantitative extra-articular vascular anatomy of the medial meniscus has not yet been characterized. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to perform a qualitative and quantitative anatomic study of the extra-articular medial meniscal vasculature and to introduce the novel “medial meniscal artery” (MMA), potentially providing future guidelines for the treatment of meniscal pathology.
Methods:
Thirty-three unpaired frozen human cadaveric knees were dissected. The popliteal artery was identified and cannulated with an angiocatheter. The arteries were perfused with a red acrylic paint solution allowing for improved visualization. Artery dimensions and distances were measured using a digital caliper. Perfused specimens were imaged with Computed Tomography scanning and segmented using software to identify vessels and repeat artery measurements.
Results:
The MMA was consistently identified in all specimens. In 26 of 33 (82%) specimens, the MMA branched directly from the popliteal artery, while in 6, the MMA shared a common trunk with the inferior medial genicular artery (IMGA). The MMA was easily distinguishable from the superior MGA, inferior MGA, and MGA, given its direct course to the medial joint line with terminal branches to the posterior horn of the medial meniscus and deep to the semimembranosus tendon. The MMA exhibited a consistently smaller vessel diameter relative to the genicular arteries.
Conclusions:
This is the first study identifying and quantitively describing the MMA in the human knee. The MMA can be identified consistently on gross anatomic dissection in patients of varying demographics. The findings of this study will provide future avenues of study toward understanding the medial meniscus vascularization and the genesis of potential degenerative changes when vascularization is poor. This will help to further refine diagnostic and treatment options for meniscus revascularization and compartment preservation. Additionally, this study may help define safe zones in the knee during posterior approaches, as well as furthering the base of knowledge for emerging vascular procedures such as genicular artery embolization. Further research is needed to identify and characterize the artery in vivo and to determine the MMA’s role in meniscus preservation.
