A floating meniscus is a condition where the knee meniscus has come away from its normal attachment to the tibia and is 'floating' rather than fixed. Also called a 'meniscal avulsion'.
Page updated January 2024 by Dr Sheila Strover (Clinical Editor)
(IMAGE: left: intact attachment, right: avulsed).
What causes meniscal avulsion?
A meniscal avulsion may be the result of a twisting injury or of degeneration from an earlier problem within the body of the meniscus.
The meniscus itself is not torn
The MRI scan shows a fluid gap between the bottom of the meniscus and the tibia bone. Generally, the meniscus itself remains intact, but without this anchorage the meniscus eventually becomes incompetent as a shock absorber and arthritis may ensue if the situation is not surgically remedied.
Quick links
Peer-reviewed papers
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Quote:
"The medial meniscus has a stable fixation to the tibia due to the anterior and posterior root attachments, the meniscotibial (coronary) ligament around the entire perimeter of the meniscus and the deep medial collateral ligament."
Citation: Simonetta R, Russo A, Palco M, Costa GG, Mariani PP. Meniscus tears treatment: The good, the bad and the ugly - patterns classification and practical guide. World J Orthop. 2023 Apr 18;14(4):171-185. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v14.i4.171. PMID: 37155506; PMCID: PMC10122773.
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Quote:
"The presence of a floating meniscus on MRI is a result of significant trauma to the knee leading to meniscal avulsion and is often associated with significant ligamentous injury."
Citation: Bikkina RS, Tujo CA, Schraner AB, Major NM. The "floating" meniscus: MRI in knee trauma and implications for surgery. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2005 Jan;184(1):200-4. doi: 10.2214/ajr.184.1.01840200. PMID: 15615974.
