Advances in the Canine Cranial Cruciate Ligament, 2nd edition

Meniscal Structure and Function 33

Cranial

menisco-tibial

ligament

Cranial

cruciate

ligament Transverse ligament

Patellar tendon

Cranial

menisco-tibial

ligament

Lateral meniscus

Lateral

collateral

ligament

Medial

collateral

ligament

Medial meniscus

Caudal

menisco-tibial

ligament Menisco-femoral

ligament

Caudal menisco-tibial

ligament

Caudal

cruciate

ligament

(A) (C)

(B)

Meniscal ligaments

Medial collateral

ligament

Coronal ligament

Cranial and caudal

cruciate ligaments

Figure 4.2 (A) Photograph of right tibial plateau illustrating the meniscal attachments and their relationship to the other
intra-articular structures. (B) Line drawing of the tibial plateau, showing the meniscal ligaments. (C) Line drawing of the
tibial plateau after removal of the menisci and the other structures, showing the footprints of the meniscal ligaments and
cruciate ligaments. Copyright©Samantha J. Elmhurst at http://www.livingart.org.uk.

its attachment to the joint capsule. These vessels
are limited to the peripheral 10% to 25% of the
meniscus. Synovial vessels are also found in
regions where there is no direct contact between
meniscus and cartilage (Arnoczky & Warren
1983). Although the peripheral portion of the
menisci is vascularized, most of the meniscus
is avascular and must rely to a large degree on
synovial sources of nutrition. Alternative mech-
anisms for nutrition are diffusion or mechanical

pumping of synovial fluid from compression

of the tissue during stifle motion (Arnoczky

et al. 1980). These regional differences have

profound implications for meniscal pathology

and treatment considerations (Figure 4.3).

The innervation of the meniscus is not as

well delineated as its blood supply. Nerve fibers

originating from the perimeniscal tissue radiate

into the peripheral third of the meniscus, and

are most dense in the cranial and caudal poles.