Association between Overhang of the Posterior Horn of Lateral Meniscus and ACL Injuries

Background: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear is one of the most common injuries among young athletes. Posterior displacement of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus caused by anterior translation of the tibia has been recorded as a secondary finding of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Objective: to discriminate the association between the overhang of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus and the anterior cruciate ligament tear. Methods: A specialist radiologist performed a comparative cross-sectional study at Al Ramadi Teaching Hospital, diagnosing 60 patients with ACL tears based on MRI findings, measuring the lateral meniscus overhang value, percentage meniscus diameter, and lateral tibial plateau diameter. Results: A significant difference between studied groups regarding the presence of LMO was higher in group 1 than in group 2, with a mean value of 1.85±0.74 mm for group 1 and 0.80±0.16 mm for group 2, which are also significantly different. The meniscal overhang percentage and the lateral meniscus diameter were higher in the ACL tears group than in other subjects; however, the lateral tibial plateau was significantly higher in the latter group. Conclusions: A significant association has been reported between the overhang of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus and the anterior cruciate ligament tear; we recommend further studies to display the clinical value of this finding.