Management of a Lateral Meniscus Tear with Bucket-Handle Displacement in a Seven-Year-Old with Lateral Discoid Meniscus Morphology: A Case Report

Background: Lateral meniscus tears in patients less than ten years old are exceedingly rare. Displaced bucket handle tears of the lateral meniscus are even less commonly encountered. Hypothesis/Purpose: This case report details the presentation, treatment, and recovery of a seven year old female who presented with a bucket handle lateral meniscus tear and was found to have underlying discoid meniscus morphology. Methods: This case report details the pre-operative, arthroscopic findings, repair technique, and post-operative outcome of a single patient presenting with a rare injury pattern. Results: The lateral meniscus was torn along the periphery at the meniscocapsular junction involving zones I-III with displacement into the notch. The meniscal tissue appeared hypertrophied and was noted to be a Wrisberg type discoid variant. A saucerization and repair was performed using sutures utilizing a combination of all-inside and outside-in repair techniques. The patient regained full range of motion and returned to full unimpeded activity at three months post-operatively. Conclusions: This is a unique case of a pediatric patient less than ten years old presenting with a bucket-handle tear of a discoid lateral meniscus who underwent surgical repair. The case details the saucerization and repair technique with successful recovery of this pediatric patient to date. It highlights a technique for meniscus repair in lieu of partial meniscectomy which is of particular benefit in the pediatric population.