title: Characteristics of medial plica syndrome complicated with cartilage damage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to evaluate the characteristics of patients with medial plica syndrome and associated cartilage damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study subjects included 44 patients with 57 knees arthroscopically diagnosed with medial plica syndrome. Subjects were divided into those with severe cartilage damage, defined as International Cartilage Research Society (ICRS) stage 2 or higher, and those with mild cartilage damage, defined as ICRS stage 1 or lower. Local findings, period from onset to surgery, arthroscopic findings, and postoperative results were compared in the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The shapes of the medial synovial plica were types C and D of the Sakakibara classification in the severe group, and types A, B, and C in the mild group. Patellar ballottement tended to be more common in the severe than in the mild group (P = 0.059). The duration from onset to surgery was significantly longer in the severe than in the mild group (29.0 vs. 11.6 months, P = 0.043). Postoperative results were significantly better in the mild than in the severe group (P = 0.0017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The shape of the medial synovial plica and the duration between symptom onset and surgery were associated with cartilage damage. Surgical treatment should be considered when the medial synovial plica covers part of the anterior aspect of the medial femoral condyle or ruptures, or when pain persists over a long period, thus reducing the potential for cartilage damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level IV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan. kan180@jt6.so-net.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan. yarai89046@nike.eonet.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Ginjiro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsuo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikoma
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cartilage damage; Impingement; Medial femoral condyle; Medial plica syndrome