The "blind side" of the medial meniscus

The major posterior insertion of the medial meniscus is not into the tibial plateau proper but into a rather deep recess behind the intercondylar eminence. The shape of the meniscus in relation to the curve of the meniscotome and its angle of approach, and also the surgeon's inability to see posteriorly from an anterior incision make posterior capsular incision desirable in many cases. A posteromedial incision, added to the normal anteromedial one in 40 of 215 medial meniscectomies, did not increase perioperative morbidity.