スノーボードによる膝外側半月板損傷

Lateral Meniscus Injuries Sustained During Snowboarding

　スノーボードによる膝外傷において重度な軟骨損傷を伴った外側半月板単独損傷を経験したので報告する．症例は3例でいずれも上級者であり，ジャンプ着地時に受傷していた．受傷後，水腫や疼痛が3カ月以上持続したため関節鏡を施行した．半月板は全例中節部の横断裂であり，さらに外側大腿𦙾骨関節に軟骨下骨層近くまで至る比較的深く広範囲の軟骨損傷を全例に認めた．最近スノーボード用のジャンプ台が流行しているが，それに伴い今回のような外傷が今後増加することが予想され，予防対策および治療法の確立が今後の課題になると思われる．

　Three snowboarders diagnosed with an isolated transverse tear of the lateral meniscus associated with severe chondral lesions were treated at our clinic. They were very skilled snowboarders but were injured during a bad landing. An arthroscopic examination was performed in all three patients because of residual joint effusion and knee pain that persisted for more than 3 months. All were found to have an isolated transverse tear of the lateral meniscus and grade Ⅲ-to-Ⅳ cartilage damage on the lateral tibial plateau. Two of those three patients also had damaged cartilage within the lateral femoral condyle. The increased popularity of snowboard jumping has made such injuries more common. Better methods of protection and better treatment options should be devised as soon as possible to cope with this trend.