The microvasculature of the meniscus and its response to injury

The normal vascular anatomy of the menisci was investigated in five dogs by histology and tissue-clearing (Spalteholz) techniques. The vessels were found to originate in the perimeniscal capsular and synovial tissues and penetrate the peripheral 25% of the meniscal tissues. The vascular response to complete midportion transection of the medial meniscus was evaluated in 15 dogs. This response originated from the peripheral synovial tissues and completely healed the lesion with fibrovascular scar tissue by 10 weeks. Longitudinal incisions in the avascular portion of the meniscus failed to heal. However, when these lesions were connected to the peripheral synovial tissues at their midportion by a vascular access channel, the entire lesion was healed with fibrovascular scar by 10 weeks.