title: The anatomy of the medial part of the knee.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While the anatomy of the medial part of the knee has been described qualitatively, quantitative descriptions of the attachment sites of the main medial knee structures have not been reported. The purpose of the present study was to verify the qualitative anatomy of medial knee structures and to perform a quantitative evaluation of their anatomic attachment sites as well as their relationships to pertinent osseous landmarks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dissections were performed and measurements were made for eight nonpaired fresh-frozen cadaveric knees with use of an electromagnetic three-dimensional tracking sensor system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In addition to the medial epicondyle and the adductor tubercle, a third osseous prominence, the gastrocnemius tubercle, which corresponded to the attachment site of the medial gastrocnemius tendon, was identified. The average length of the superficial medial (tibial) collateral ligament was 94.8 mm. The superficial medial collateral ligament femoral attachment was 3.2 mm proximal and 4.8 mm posterior to the medial epicondyle. The superficial medial collateral ligament had two separate attachments on the tibia. The distal attachment of the superficial medial collateral ligament on the tibia was 61.2 mm distal to the knee joint. The deep medial collateral ligament consisted of meniscofemoral and meniscotibial portions. The posterior oblique ligament femoral attachment was 7.7 mm distal and 6.4 mm posterior to the adductor tubercle and 1.4 mm distal and 2.9 mm anterior to the gastrocnemius tubercle. The medial patellofemoral ligament attachment on the femur was 1.9 mm anterior and 3.8 mm distal to the adductor tubercle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The medial knee ligament structures have a consistent attachment pattern.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Minnesota, 2450 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. lapra001@umn.edu
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: LaPrade
authors.forename: Anders Hauge
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Engebretsen
authors.forename: Thuan V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Ly
authors.forename: Steinar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.forename: Fred A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Wentorf
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Engebretsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002102:Cadaver; D017885:Collateral Ligaments / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D055590:Electromagnetic Phenomena / Q000379:methods; D005269:Femur / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D017888:Medial Collateral Ligament, Knee / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013977:Tibia / Q000033:anatomy & histology