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Does the meniscus exist in the elbow joint in children?

F Fabié1, A Brouchet, F Accadbled

  • 1Department of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, Children's Hospital, 31026, Toulouse cedex 3, France.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy : SRA
|March 21, 2003
PubMed

Insights

An elbow joint meniscus in a 15-month-old infant caused limited extension. Histology confirmed it was abnormal, as menisci do not develop in the embryonic elbow.

Area of Science:

  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Pediatric Orthopedics
  • Developmental Anatomy

Background:

  • Elbow joint injuries are rare in infants.
  • Limited elbow extension can significantly impact a child's development.
  • Menisci are typically associated with the knee and wrist, not the elbow.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a rare case of an elbow joint meniscus in an infant.
  • To investigate the nature and origin of the elbow meniscus.
  • To determine the clinical significance of an elbow meniscus.

Main Methods:

  • Case report of a 15-month-old infant with elbow extension limitation.
  • Surgical intervention to address the meniscus.
  • Histological examination of the excised tissue.

Main Results:

  • A meniscus-like structure was identified in the elbow joint.
  • Histological analysis ruled out synovial fold or chondroid metaplasia.
  • The structure's origin was deemed abnormal due to lack of embryonic elbow meniscus development.

Conclusions:

  • The presence of a meniscus in the elbow joint is an abnormal condition.
  • This case highlights a rare cause of limited elbow extension in infants.
  • Further research may be needed to understand the etiology of elbow menisci.

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