The Safe Distance to the Popliteal Neurovascular Bundle in Pediatric Knee Arthroscopic Surgery: An Age-Based Magnetic Resonance Imaging Anatomic Study

Abstract

Background: The close proximity of the popliteal neurovascular bundle to the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus puts it at risk of compromise during lateral meniscal repair. This is particularly important in smaller pediatric patients, who are commonly treated for lateral meniscal abnormalities in isolation (discoid meniscus) or concomitantly with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Purpose: To quantify the distance between the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus and the popliteal neurovascular bundle along the path of meniscal repair and to investigate for associations with age, sex, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and skeletal maturity. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 144 magnetic resonance imaging scans were evaluated in a cohort of patients aged 10 to 18 years without meniscal or ligament abnormalities. Measurements were made along a line from the anterolateral portal between the popliteal neurovascular bundle and the free edge, midpoint, and meniscocapsular junctions of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus. In addition to descriptive statistics of these distances by age and sex, analyses of variance and linear regression analyses were performed to investigate for associations with age, sex, height, weight, BMI, and skeletal maturity. Results: Male participants had a significantly larger mean free edge distance (14.4 ± 2.5 vs 13.1 ± 2.5 mm, respectively; P =.005) and midpoint distance (9.6 ± 2.2 vs 8.9 ± 1.8 mm, respectively; P =.011) than female participants but not a significantly larger meniscocapsular distance (5.2 ± 1.6 vs 4.6 ± 1.4 mm, respectively; P =.096). Linear regression analyses revealed significant associations between these distances and age, height, weight, and BMI (P