Tibial chondral fissures associated with the lateral meniscus

This article describes a relatively common lesion of the lateral tibial plateau that has not been reported in the literature. This lesion is a fissure of the articular cartilage parallel to the lateral meniscal rim. Sometimes asymptomatic, this articular fissure was noted in 10 of 61 consecutive patients (16%) undergoing knee arthroscopy in an outpatient surgery unit. This chondral fissure often demarcates an abrupt transition between firm and healthy articular cartilage, which is covered by the lateral meniscus, and exposed articular cartilage, which is soft and fibrillated. Progressive articular degeneration of knees with this lesion has not been documented; therefore, the clinical significance of these chondral fissure is not yet known.