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  - longitudinal tears, which usually involve the posterior portion of the meniscus, are the most common meniscal lesions;
  - in many cases, gross inspection reveals only slight irregularities in inner border of the meniscus;
  - probing is necessary to establish the presence of a tear;
  - the meniscus should be probed from its inferior and superior surfaces;
  - acute posterior longitudinal tears are frequently combined with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament;
  - if the longitudinal tear of the posterior segment of the meniscus propagates into the anterior segment, a bucket handle tear results