The biomechanical and morphological characteristics of the ligamentum mucosum and its potential role in anterior knee pain

Abstract

BackgroundThe ligamentum mucosum is composed of dense regular connective tissue and traverses from the distal femur to the infrapatellar fat pad. While the gross and histologic morphology has been studied, there is currently no evidence concerning the biomechanical properties of the ligamentum mucosum and the potential of anterior knee pain.The purpose of this study was to determine the anatomical, mechanical and histological properties of the ligamentum mucosum. MethodsDissections were performed on cadaveric knee specimens (N = 18) and histological analysis (n = 6) was performed to define the anatomical characteristics of the ligamentum mucosum using standard hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson's trichrome, and immunohistochemical methods. Biomechanical testing (n = 5) was conducted to determine the tensile properties of the ligamentum mucosum. The peak load at failure, stiffness, and strain were analyzed. ResultsSixty-four percent of the knees had a ligamentum mucosum and the histological analysis confirmed it to be composed of dense regular connective tissue. Small peripheral nerves were identified in the junction between the ligamentum mucosum and the fat pad. The average (SD) peak force of failure, stiffness, and strain were 31.9 N (19.0), 5.1 N/mm (3.59), and 0.83 (0.14), respectively. ConclusionsThe tensile strength and stiffness of the ligamentum mucosum is considerably less than the primary stabilizers of the knee joint. Based on these findings, it is improbable that the ligamentum mucosum has a meaningful effect on the kinematics of the extensor mechanism; perturbations of the tissue and the connected infrapatellar fat pad could potentially play a role in the pathogenesis of anterior knee pain.