gms | German Medical Science

Objective: Little is known about the four distinct menisco-meniscal ligaments which have been identified in the knee joint with varying prevalence. The most common one is the anterior genicular transverse ligament with a general prevalence of 36–94%, sometimes mistaken as a synovial fold or meniscal tear of the anterior horns of the menisci. It has been postulated that the role of the transverse ligament might be that of stabilising the menisci during movement of the knee [1]; [2] by anchoring the menisci [3] and preventing excessive rotation of the anterior horns of the menisci [4]; [1]. Little attention is given to the transverse ligament of the knee and its prevalence amongst different population groups. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of the anterior transverse ligament using cadaveric material.

Material/Methods: A sample was selected from a cadaver population at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Republic of South Africa. The method of selection was non-random sampling according to specific characteristics from a sample of convenience. Twenty (20) cadavers (40 knees) were selected according to specific groups (gender, age and ethnicity). For gender, 10 male and 10 female cadavers were chosen. In the three age groups namely, below the age of 35 (<35), 35 to 65 (35-65), and above 65 (>65), six, seven and seven specimens were allocated to the different age groups, respectively. A physical dissection of each specimen’s knee was completed until all the necessary structures were visible and a clear superior view of the proximal articular surface of the tibia was possible. This view allowed for a clear, full and correct identification of the presence of the transverse ligament.

Results: The transverse ligament was identified in 11 of the 20 cadavers, with a prevalence of 50% in the total number of knees. Two cadavers presented with transverse ligaments unilaterally. In relation to gender, a presence prevalence of 70% for male cadavers and 60% for female cadavers was observed for the transverse ligament. With regard to ethnic groups, Caucasian, Coloured, and Black, the prevalence was 66.7%, 57.1% and 42.9% respectively. All the results in this study were similar to that found in literature for general prevalence, laterality, gender and age groups with the exception of ethnic groups, for which no literature could be found. The differences within groups were not statistically significant.

Conclusion: In theory, knee injuries could be related to the presence of this peculiar ligament in the knee. One out of every two people in this study was found to have a peculiar transverse ligament of the knee. However, the exact function of this ligament first needs to be identified, before its presence/absence can be linked to knee injury.