Abstract
Objectives
To perform a qualitative and quantitative anatomic study of the extra-articular medial meniscal vasculature and to introduce the novel “medial meniscal artery” (MMA).
Methods
33 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 visualization. Artery dimensions and distances were measured using a digital goniometercaliper. Perfused specimens were imaged with CT scan and images were processed using segmenting software to identify vessels in a computer model and artery measurements were repeated
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 smaller vessel diameter relative to the genicular arteries.
Conclusion
This is the first study identifying and quantitively describing the MMA in the human knee. This structure can be identified consistently on gross anatomic dissection in patients of varying sex, age, and race. It arises directly from the popliteal artery in 82% of cases, coursing distally to the medial femoral condyle and medially along the posterior horn of the medial meniscus and deep to the semimembranosus tendon. Further research is needed to identify and characterize the artery in vivo and to determine the MMA’s role in meniscus preservation.