Mucinous ACL Degeneration is Rarely Thought About, a Missing Diagnosis: Case Report

• Published in: Journal of orthopaedic case reports Vol. 15; no. 2; pp. 116 - 119
• Main Authors: Aravindbabu, Chadalavada, Kareemulla, Syed, Chadalavada, Aditya, Kumar, Naveen, Nutalapati, Pranavi, Fathima, Taslim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Indian Orthopaedic Research Group 01.02.2025
• Subjects: arthroscopic debulking; Case Report; celery stalk appearance; mucoid degeneration anterior cruciate ligament; arthroscopic debulking; celery stalk appearance; Mucoid degeneration anterior cruciate ligament
• ISSN: 2321-3817; 2250-0685; 2321-3817
• DOI: 10.13107/jocr.2025.v15.i02.5250

Introduction: Mucoid degeneration (MD) of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a rare entity affecting the middle-aged people with equal gender predisposition. The enigmatic pathological etiology of MD of ACL has been the subject of numerous ideas, including synovial, traumatic, degenerative, ectopic, changed joint mechanics, etc. correlating magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with clinical diagnosis helps in concluding the diagnosis. Arthroscopic debulking of the ACL helps in relieving the pain. Case Report: We describe here a woman in her 40s who has been experiencing right knee pain for the past 2 years. Although there are no additional clinical symptoms visible upon examination, there is pain with deep knee flexion. MRI’s knee has been taken, and celery stalk appearance has been noticed, as described by Akin. The patient was treated with arthroscopic debulking using conventional arthroscopic portals, and the pain was relieved. Conclusion: The diagnosis of MD is assisted by clinical examination and correlating the clinical findings with MRI, as it is typically overlooked. The pain is reduced with arthroscopic debulking. Keywords: Mucoid degeneration anterior cruciate ligament, celery stalk appearance, arthroscopic debulking.