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Meniscus (anatomy)
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Meniscus (anatomy)
A meniscus (pl.: menisci or meniscuses) is a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous anatomical structure that, in contrast to an articular disc, only partly divides a joint cavity. In humans, menisci are present in the knee, wrist, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular joints.
Generally, the term "meniscus" is used to refer to the cartilage of the knee, either to the lateral or medial meniscus. Both are cartilaginous tissues that provide structural integrity to the knee when it undergoes tension and torsion.
The menisci are also known as "semi-lunar" cartilages, referring to their half-moon, crescent shape.
The term meniscus derives from Greek μηνίσκος meniskos, meaning "crescent", and was first used in English around 1690. The word was used in reference to a lens that is concave on one side and convex on the opposite side.
The menisci of the knee are two pads of fibrocartilaginous tissue covering about 70% of the articular surface, serving to disperse friction and absorb weight in the knee joint between the lower leg (tibia) and the thigh (femur). They are concave on the top and flat on the bottom, articulating with and attached to the tibial plateau, and are thicker laterally.
The menisci are attached to the small depressions (fossae) between the condyles of the tibia (intercondyloid fossa), and towards the center from the rim of the bone by insertional ligaments.
The outer edges of the medial meniscus are attached to the joint capsule and medial collateral ligament. Ligamental attachments to the tibial plateau also exist from the anterior and posterior horns of the menisci, and from the anterior edges of the menisci by the transverse intermeniscal ligament. The posterior horn of the lateral meniscus connects via insertional ligaments to the femur and the popliteus tendon.
The meniscus has a limited peripheral blood supply from the medial, lateral, and middle geniculate arteries (branches of the popliteal artery) which perfuse the inferior and superior aspects of each meniscus. The blood flow courses from the periphery (outside) toward the center, decreases with age, and is mostly absent by adulthood, impeding recovery from injury.
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Meniscus (anatomy)
A meniscus (pl.: menisci or meniscuses) is a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous anatomical structure that, in contrast to an articular disc, only partly divides a joint cavity. In humans, menisci are present in the knee, wrist, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular joints.
Generally, the term "meniscus" is used to refer to the cartilage of the knee, either to the lateral or medial meniscus. Both are cartilaginous tissues that provide structural integrity to the knee when it undergoes tension and torsion.
The menisci are also known as "semi-lunar" cartilages, referring to their half-moon, crescent shape.
The term meniscus derives from Greek μηνίσκος meniskos, meaning "crescent", and was first used in English around 1690. The word was used in reference to a lens that is concave on one side and convex on the opposite side.
The menisci of the knee are two pads of fibrocartilaginous tissue covering about 70% of the articular surface, serving to disperse friction and absorb weight in the knee joint between the lower leg (tibia) and the thigh (femur). They are concave on the top and flat on the bottom, articulating with and attached to the tibial plateau, and are thicker laterally.
The menisci are attached to the small depressions (fossae) between the condyles of the tibia (intercondyloid fossa), and towards the center from the rim of the bone by insertional ligaments.
The outer edges of the medial meniscus are attached to the joint capsule and medial collateral ligament. Ligamental attachments to the tibial plateau also exist from the anterior and posterior horns of the menisci, and from the anterior edges of the menisci by the transverse intermeniscal ligament. The posterior horn of the lateral meniscus connects via insertional ligaments to the femur and the popliteus tendon.
The meniscus has a limited peripheral blood supply from the medial, lateral, and middle geniculate arteries (branches of the popliteal artery) which perfuse the inferior and superior aspects of each meniscus. The blood flow courses from the periphery (outside) toward the center, decreases with age, and is mostly absent by adulthood, impeding recovery from injury.
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