Biomechanical impact of discoid lateral meniscus and partial meniscectomy in the pediatric knee: a finite element study

Three-dimensional models have been widely used to study knee joint biomechanics in both healthy and pathological conditions. However, the lack of data on pediatric knee models affected by a discoid lateral meniscus necessitates further investigation. This study analyzed the biomechanical behavior of a pediatric knee joint with a discoid lateral meniscus malformation and the effects of partial meniscectomy on restoring its normal configuration. The three-dimensional geometry was reconstructed from computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging data to develop a finite element model of the pediatric knee. The finite element method was used to simulate the joint in an upright position, and contact, compressive, and shear stresses were analyzed across seven lateral meniscus configurations with varying residual tissue widths to simulate progressive degrees of partial meniscectomy. A discoid lateral meniscus altered knee biomechanics, increasing medial-compartment stress, associated with femoral cartilage damage. Under body weight loading, the pediatric model showed a significant rise in stress when the meniscal width fell below 12 mm. A residual meniscal width of 12 mm provided a more favorable biomechanical response in this pediatric knee model, potentially reducing cartilage damage and the risk of early degeneration after partial meniscectomy.