Regarding the subject of degradation of femoral medial condyle cartilaginous tissue in damaged knee joint medial meniscus

Aim. To reveal the influence of patient’s connective tissue state and body mass on the development of damage of the cartilaginous tissue of femoral bone medial condyle in case of medial meniscus rupture.

Materials and methods. The study included 85 patients, undergoing arthroscopic treatment of the knee joint in connection with damaged medial meniscus. The damage degree of femoral medial condyle cartilaginous tissue was estimated using Outerbridge classification (1961). The body mass was calculated by the body mass index kg/m². To assess the connective tissue elasticity, “the method of express diagnosis of dysplastic state of connective-tissue structures in conditions of ambulatory traumatologo-orthopedic service” was used.

Results. The present paper is devoted to a widespread problem – the damage of femoral medial condyle cartilaginous tissue in case of medial meniscus rupture. The aim of the study was to find out the influence of connective tissue state and body mass on the damage of the femoral medial condyle cartilaginous tissue. Seventy patients were examined. As a result of analysis, it was established that an excess body mass as well as low connective tissue elasticity provoke destruction of the cartilaginous tissue of femoral bone medial condyle. Patients with connective tissue dysplasia are more tolerant to cartilaginous tissue degradation. The risk group for cartilaginous tissue damage includes persons with low connective tissue elasticity and obesity.

Conclusions. When medial meniscus is ruptured, most patients during the first 6 months after trauma experience damage of femoral medial condyle cartilaginous tissue. The most favorable for the outcome is the state when patients have a normal body mass. Dysplastic state of connective tissue somehow eliminates the damaging factor at the expense of elevated elasticity of cartilaginous tissue. The most unfavorable is the situation, when patients have excess body mass and low connective tissue elasticity. For this group of patients the most optimal variant is hospitalization and arthroscopic treatment taking into account urgent indications.