Analysis of meniscal and chondral lesions accompanying anterior cruciate ligament tears: relationship with age,time from injury,and level of sport

The purposes of this multi-center study were: (a) to document the location and type of meniscal and chondral lesions that accompany anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, and (b) to test for possible relationships between these lesions and patient age, time from initial injury (TFI), and sports level (i.e., recreation, amateur, professional, and national). The cases of 764 patients with ACL tears who underwent arthroscopy for the first time were retrospectively analyzed. The group included 684 males and 80 females of mean age 27 years (range 14–59 years). The mean TFI was 19.8 months (range 0.2–360 months). Eighty-seven percent of the group engaged in regular sporting activity. Thirty-seven percent had medial meniscal tears, 16% had lateral meniscal tears, and 20% had tears of both menisci. The most common tear types were longitudinal tears in the posterior and middle horns of both menisci. Tears of the lateral meniscus were more centrally located than those of the medial meniscus. Incomplete tears and radial tears were significantly more common in the lateral meniscus. Nineteen percent of the knees had one or more chondral lesions. Sixty percent of the chondral lesions were located in the medial tibio-femoral compartment. Patient age was statistically associated with presence of a medial meniscal tear, presence of a grade 3 or 4 chondral lesion, and presence of a complex tear of the medial meniscus. Sports level was not statistically related to any of the parameters studied. The odds of having a medial meniscal tear at 2 to 5 years TFI were 2.2 times higher than the odds in the first year post-injury, and the odds at >5 years were 5.9 times higher than at 0 to 12 months TFI. The frequency of lateral meniscal tear remained fairly constant at 2 years TFI. The odds of having a grade 3 or 4 chondral lesion were 2.7 times greater at 2 to 5 years TFI than they were at 1 year post-injury, and these odds increased to 4.7 when patients at >5 years TFI were compared to those in the 2 to 5 years category. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that TFI and age were equally important predictors of lateral meniscal tears and of grade 3 or 4 chondral lesions; however, TFI was the better predictor of medial meniscal tear.This multi-center study was performed by the Turkish Society of Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy and Knee Surgery. It was presented as a poster at the ESSKA 2000 Congress in London, UK     

Meniscal repair following meniscectomy: mechanism and protective effect

Meniscal repair was studied to evaluate the mechanism and its potential protective effects on the articular cartilage in an experimental model consisting of 68 knees of adult dogs on which five different types of medial meniscectomy were performed. The results were assessed by macroscopic, microangiographic, and histological methods, after a sequential follow-up period of 10–450 days. Two different mechanisms of meniscal repair were observed, depending on whether meniscal section had been performed in vascular (total meniscectomy) or avascular (subtotal or partial meniscectomy) zones. It was also observed that the repaired meniscal tissue does not prevent articular cartilage degeneration. This is more closely related to the size of the meniscal fragment preserved at meniscectomy. Due to the biomechanical importance of the meniscus and the lack of functional relevance of the repaired meniscal tissue, the most conservative approach possible to meniscectomy is recommended.     

Patterns of meniscal injury with acute anterior cruciate ligament tears

One hundred two patients underwent an arthrotomy for the primary repair of an acute ACL tear with or without an associated collateral ligament injury. The mean age was 23 years. Forty-seven patients (46%) had meniscal injuries. Meniscal injuries were found in 41% of Group I patients (isolated ACL injuries) and in 54% of Group II patients (injured ACL/collateral ligaments). Twenty-eight medial and 22 lateral meniscal tears were noted. Twenty-six of the 50 meniscal tears (52%) were sutured in an attempt to repair the menisci. Of these, 20 of the medial (71%), and 6 of the lateral (27%) meniscal injuries were sutured. No patients in this series required a total meniscectomy. A thorough evaluation of the menisci is mandatory in knees with an acutely injured ACL.     

Simultaneous bucket handle tear of both medial and lateral menisci of a knee with chronic anterior cruciate ligament deficiency

Bucket handle meniscus tears constitute about 10% of all meniscal tears. Bucket handle tears of medial meniscus is three times more than lateral meniscus. Most of these tears are associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficiency. Lateral meniscus lesions are more common with acute ACL deficiency, where medial meniscus lesions are more associated with chronic ACL deficiency. We identified bucket handle tears of each meniscus of a 30-year-old male patient while performing diagnostic arthroscopy during ACL reconstruction procedure. We present an ACL deficient knee with bucket handle tears of medial and lateral meniscus of the same knee and discuss the treatment.     

The value of magnetic resonance imaging in our current management of ACL and meniscal injuries

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is frequently used in the diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscal injuries. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the reliability and value of MRI in our management of ACL and meniscal tears. 138 patients who had undergone a MRI to confirm or refute the clinical diagnosis of an ACL or meniscal tear were identified. Those who had subsequently undergone arthroscopy were selected. MRI findings and clinical diagnosis were compared with those at arthroscopy. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and overall accuracy of clinical diagnosis and MRI were then calculated. The overall accuracy for MRI was 91, 68 and 86% for detecting ACL, medial meniscal and lateral meniscal tears, respectively. Accuracy for clinical diagnosis was 90 and 64% for ACL and meniscal tears, respectively. In contrast to other series, our results indicate a lower accuracy of MRI in detecting pathology, especially of the ACL and medial meniscus. We noted a low sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value but a high negative predictive value rendering MRI most useful as a negative diagnostic tool. We suggest that where symptoms and clinical findings support one of these diagnoses and arthroscopic therapeutic intervention is contemplated, that MRI scanning is not always beneficial. Our current practice of requesting scans to routinely confirm the diagnosis should be altered. Unnecessary MRI scanning increases the financial burden and delays patient treatment. No funding has been received from any sources and no conflicts of interests are stated in the submission of this article.     

Partial medial meniscectomy leads to altered walking mechanics two years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Meniscal repair does not

BackgroundPartial meniscectomy dramatically increases the risk for post-traumatic, tibiofemoral osteoarthritis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Concomitant medial meniscus surgery influences walking biomechanics (e.g., medial tibiofemoral joint loading) early after ACLR; whether medial meniscus surgery continues to influence walking biomechanics two years after ACLR is unknown.Research questionDoes medial meniscus treatment at the time of ACLR influence walking biomechanics two years after surgery?MethodsThis is a secondary analysis of prospectively collected data from a clinical trial (NCT01773317). Fifty-six athletes (age 24 ± 8 years) with operative reports, two-year biomechanical analyses, and no second injury prior to two-year testing participated after primary ACLR. Participants were classified by concomitant medial meniscal status: no medial meniscus involvement (n = 36), partial medial meniscectomy (n = 9), and medial meniscus repair (n = 11). Participants underwent biomechanical analyses during over-ground walking including surface electromyography; a validated musculoskeletal model estimated medial compartment tibiofemoral contact forces. Gait variables were analyzed using 3 × 2 ANOVAs with group (medial meniscus treatment) and limb (involved versus uninvolved) comparisons.ResultsThere was a main effect of group (p = .039) for peak knee flexion angle (PKFA). Participants after partial medial meniscectomy walked with clinically meaningfully smaller PKFAs in both the involved and uninvolved limbs compared to the no medial meniscus involvement group (group mean difference [95%CI]; involved: −4.9°[−8.7°, −1.0°], p = .015; uninvolved: −3.9°[−7.6°, −0.3°], p = .035) and medial meniscus repair group (involved: −5.2°[−9.9°, −0.6°], p = .029; uninvolved: −4.7°[−9.0°, −0.3°], p = .038). The partial medial meniscectomy group walked with higher involved versus uninvolved limb medial tibiofemoral contact forces (0.45 body weights, 95% CI: −0.01, 0.91 BW, p = 0.053) and truncated sagittal plane knee excursions, which were not present in the other two groups.SignificanceAberrant gait biomechanics may concentrate high forces in the antero-medial tibiofemoral cartilage among patients two years after ACLR plus partial medial meniscectomy, perhaps explaining the higher osteoarthritis rates and offering an opportunity for targeted interventions.Level of EvidenceLevel III.     

Meniscus root repair

Root tears are a subset of meniscal injuries that result in significant knee joint pathology. Occurring on either the medial or lateral side, root tears are defined as radial tears or avulsions of the posterior horn attachment to bone. After a root tear, there is a significant increase in tibio-femoral contact pressure concomitant with altered knee joint kinematics. Previous cadaver studies from our institution have shown that root repair of the medial meniscus is successful in restoring joint biomechanics to within normal limits. Indications for operative management of meniscal root tears include (1) a symptomatic medial meniscus root tear with minimal arthritis and having failed non-operative treatment, and (2) a lateral root tear in associated with an ACL tear. In this review, we describe diagnosis, imaging, patient selection, and arthroscopic surgical technique of medial and lateral meniscus root injuries. In addition we highlight the pearls of repair technique, associated complications, post-operative rehabilitation regimen, and expected outcomes.     

MRI of menisci repaired with bioabsorbable arrows

Objective To analyze with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) the signal appearance of menisci repaired with bioabsorbable arrows.Design and patients Forty-four patients with 47 meniscal tears treated with bioabsorbable arrows underwent follow-up conventional MRI examination. The time interval between the surgery and MRI varied from 5 to 67 months (mean 26 months). Twenty-six patients also had concurrent repair of torn anterior cruciate ligament. The following grades were used to classify meniscal signal intensity: (a) G0; low signal intensity on all sequences and regular configuration in every plane, (b) G1; increased signal intensity within the meniscus, not extending to the meniscal surface, (c) G2; increased signal intensity linear in shape, which may or may not communicate with the capsular margin of the meniscus, without extending to the meniscal surface, and (d) G3; increased signal intensity extending to the meniscal surface.Results Thirteen menisci (27.5%) had normal signal intensity, 13 menisci (27.5%) Grade 1 signal intensity, 9 menisci (19%) Grade 2 signal intensity and 12 menisci (26%) Grade 3 signal intensity. The time difference between operation and MRI was statistically significant between the G0 (36 months) and G3 groups (14 months; P=0.0288). There was no statistical significance in different grades between medial and lateral meniscus or between patients with operated or intact ACL. On physical examination sixteen patients reported slight symptoms, seen evenly in each group.Conclusion No difference was seen in different grades between patients with operated or intact ACL. The highest incidence of menisci with a Grade 3 signal was seen in patients where surgery was within the last 18 months.     

Meniscus tears that can be left in situ, with or without trephination or synovial abrasion to stimulate healing

To determine which meniscus tears to leave in situ, the clinician must know whether the meniscus tear is degenerative or nondegenerative, stable or unstable, in an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-stable or ACL-unstable knee, and whether it is in the medial or lateral compartment. Symptomatic medial meniscus tears in ACL-intact knees are almost always degenerative in nature and should be removed. Generally, the only type of medial meniscus that can be left in situ is a peripheral, vertical, nondegenerative tear, but these tears are not displaceable, are asymptomatic, and are usually seen in a patient with an ACL tear. In the lateral compartment, most tears can be left in situ and the only tears that need to be repaired are displaceable tears that extend anterior to the popliteus tendon. Although many meniscus repair techniques and fixation devices are available, all factors related to healing and stability should be considered to determine treatment.     

Relationship between bone bruise volume and the presence of meniscal tears in acute anterior cruciate ligament rupture

Purpose

To determine whether there is a relationship between the size of the bone bruise volume after an acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture and the presence of meniscal tears in the medial and lateral compartment.

Methods

Following Institutional Review Board approval, 50 patients with an acute ACL rupture and MRI imaging within 30 days of injury were identified. Two musculoskeletal radiologists evaluated the lateral and medial menisci and graded them as one of the following: no meniscal tear, tear of one meniscus (medial or lateral) or tear of both menisci (medial and lateral). Sagittal T2 fat-suppressed images were used to calculate bone bruise volume. The relationship between bone bruise volume and the presence of a meniscus tear was calculated.

Results

Forty-three (86 %) patients had a bone bruise, 16 (32 %) patients had no tear, 7 (14 %) patients had lateral meniscus tear, 13 (26 %) patients had medial tear and 14 (28 %) patients had medial and lateral tears. There was a statistically significant difference in femoral bone bruise volume when comparing no meniscal tear to medial and lateral tears as well as when comparing medial or lateral tears to medial and lateral tears.

Conclusion

There is a statistically significant relationship between femoral bone bruise volume and the presence of meniscal tears in ACL injury, especially in the setting of medial and lateral pathology.

Level of evidence

Retrospective cohort study, Level III.     

Patterns of meniscal injury associated with acute anterior cruciate ligament injury in skiers.

To determine if the incidence and patterns of meniscal injury associated with acute anterior cruciate ligament injury in skiers are different from those seen in individuals injured in nonskiing athletic activities, we reviewed the records of 150 patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament injuries. All patients had undergone arthroscopic evaluation within 21 days from the time of injury. There were 75 individuals who were injured while skiing and 75 individuals who sustained an injury in some other high-load athletic activity. Associated meniscal injury was documented at the time of arthroscopy and characterized by location, region, zone, depth, shape, size, and stability. Thirty-one of 75 skiers had an associated meniscal injury as compared to 47 of 75 of the nonskiers. This suggested a strong trend of decreased incidence of meniscal injury in the skier group, but the nonskiers had a higher incidence of major meniscal tears that required repair or partial meniscectomy. The location of the meniscal tear was also significantly different. The incidence of isolated lateral meniscal injury in skiers was higher than in nonskiers. There was a strong trend of increased incidence of medial meniscal involvement in the nonskiers than in the skiers. While there was no difference in the zone or region of tear between the two groups, the skier group was more likely to have a longitudinal tear of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus. In both groups, lateral meniscal tears were more likely to require conservative treatment or partial meniscectomy while medial meniscal tears were more likely to be repaired than excised.     

Future directions in meniscal surgery

Despite the considerable technological advances in arthroscopic surgery in the past decade, it is of concern that meniscal repair is not being done in many cases where the meniscus tear is reparable and the patient, if properly informed, would desire it.There is accumulating evidence that the long-term benefits of meniscal repair significantly outweigh those of partial meniscectomy. But success must be tempered by looking at longer follow-up assessments than we are accustomed to doing.DeHaven found that the average time between surgery and failure was 4 years, in a study averaging 11 years of follow-up. Meniscal repairs in isolated tears of the meniscus are significantly less successful than repairs of meniscal tears associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. There is evidence that isolated meniscal tears in ACL-stable knees occur in menisci that are significantly more degenerated compared with menisci having tears associated with ACL disruption. Improved techniques of meniscal repair include the abrasion of both sides of the tear site, the use of increased numbers of vertically oriented nonabsorbable sutures, the insertion of a fibrin clot into the tear site, and the development of completely inside-the-knee suturing techniques. In the future, meniscal repair will become simpler and faster to perform. As a result, more meniscal repairs will be attempted. Over the next decade, we will see increasing research in the role of meniscal allografts and collagen (or other material) substitutes for the meniscus in patients with segmental defects or complete loss of the meniscus.     

Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for horizontal tear of discoid lateral meniscus

A new method of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for horizontal tear of discoid lateral meniscus was devised to preserve as much meniscal tissue as possible. To evaluate the clinical result of this method for horizontal tear of discoid lateral meniscus, 31 knees (30 patients) were reviewed at an average follow-up of 35 months (range 14-48 months). Horizontally torn discoid lateral menisci were classified as incomplete (11 cases) or complete (20 cases) by the Watanabe classification; no Wrisberg type was noted. Partial meniscectomy was performed in all cases. For the technique of a new method of partial meniscectomy, the unstable leaf of the horizontally torn meniscus was removed to the peripheral rim, but the stable one was preserved and reshaped to produce the similar appearance to the normal lateral meniscus in terms of width and thickness. It was trimmed to have a balanced rim of meniscal tissue about 6-8 mm in width. Meniscal repair was added to partial meniscectomy in one case. All the cases were rated using the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale and were reviewed to recognize retear clinically. The scores increased after partial meniscectomy by average 20.7 (from 73.0 to 93.7). Recurrence of tear or aggravation of symptoms was not noted at the final follow-up.     

Do physical diagnostic tests accurately detect meniscal tears?

Numerous physical tests have been described but their diagnostic accuracy is often questioned. Karachalios et al. described the new ‘Thessaly test’ and concluded that it could be safely used as a first line screening test for the selection of patients who need arthroscopic meniscal surgery. Our objective was to study the role of physical diagnostic tests in screening for meniscal tears and to validate the diagnostic accuracy of the Thessaly test. We examined 109 patients (80 male, 29 female; average age: 39 years; range: 16–56) who were presented with a history suggestive of a meniscal tear. Joint line tenderness, McMurray’s test, and the Thessaly test were assessed by an independent investigator blinded to any imaging data in all patients. MRI and subsequent arthroscopy results were then collated. Our study showed a much lower diagnostic accuracy for the Thessaly test (61% for medial meniscus and 80% for lateral meniscus). It is comparable to McMurray’s test (57% for medial meniscus and 77% for lateral meniscus). The Joint line tenderness test has a far superior diagnostic accuracy (81% for medial meniscus and 90% for lateral meniscus). However, combining the joint line tenderness test with McMurray’s test or the joint line tenderness test with Thessaly test further increased the accuracy of physical diagnosis of meniscal tears. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected 96% of meniscal tears. Physical tests may not always be diagnostic of meniscal tears. MRI and arthroscopy may be essential in dubious clinical presentations and especially where more than one pathology is suspected. Our study showed that the Thessaly test in isolation was not useful for the detection of meniscal tears but it helps to increase diagnostic certainty when combined with other standard tests.     

Radiographic joint space narrowing in osteoarthritis of the knee: relationship to meniscal tears and duration of pain

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess, with knee radiography, joint space narrowing (JSN) and its relationship to meniscal tears, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures, articular cartilage erosion, and duration of pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 140 patients who had knee osteoarthritis and underwent primary total knee replacement (TKR) surgery, with unicompartmental medial tibiofemoral JSN (grade 1 or greater) and normal lateral compartments, were recruited. Polytomous logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between JSN and risk factors. RESULTS: All patients with JSN were categorized as grade 1 (n = 14, 10.0%), grade 2 (n = 64, 45.7%), or grade 3 (n = 62, 44.3%). Women presented with indications for a TKR at a younger age than men (mean age, 69 vs 73 years, P < 0.05). There were 123 (87.9%) meniscal tears and 58 (41.4%) partial (insufficient or attenuated ACL fibers) and 10 (7.1%) complete ACL ruptures; 115 of 134 (85.8%) patients had moderate to severe cartilage erosion. A higher grade of JSN was correlated with a higher frequency of meniscal tears [odds ratio (OR) 6.00, 95% CI 1.29-27.96 for grade 2 vs grade 1 JSN] and duration of knee pain (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.01-1.53 for grade 3 vs grade 1 JSN). A higher grade of JSN was not correlated with a higher frequency of ACL rupture or articular cartilage erosion. CONCLUSION: A higher grade of JSN is associated with a higher frequency of meniscal tears and long duration of knee pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis.     

半月板大桶柄样撕裂的关节镜下联合修补技术

目的:介绍关节镜下自内向外缝合技术联合全内缝合技术修补半月板的手术方式(联合修补技术),探讨修补半月板大桶柄样撕裂的安全、可靠方法。方法:2002年5月~2006年1月,采用关节镜下联合修补技术修补93例患者的96个半月板大桶柄样撕裂,均累及半月板后角至前角与体部交界处(前体部)区域。手术适应症:红-红区及红-白区损伤、具备可复位性、半月板组织无复合撕裂及明显变性、前十字韧带(ACL)完整或同时重建。手术技术:撕裂的后角与体部交界处(后体部)至中、前1/3区域采用标准的自内向外缝合技术:在半月板上、下表面交错进行垂直褥式缝合,膝后内侧或后外侧作辅助安全切口保护血管神经,伸膝位将缝线在关节囊浅层打结固定;撕裂的后部区域采用全关节内缝合技术:经两个后内侧或后外侧入路在关节内完成垂直褥式缝合、打结及剪线。单纯的红-白区撕裂修补后局部植入血凝块促进愈合,合并前十字韧带损伤者同时行韧带重建手术。术后对93例患者中的49例共51个半月板进行了平均20·1个月(9·2个月~54·2个月)的随访。随访时均进行了临床评估,包括交锁、积液、关节间隙压痛、McMurray试验。随访结果显示:49例患者中,无症状者46例(93·9%),关节间隙压痛者2例(4·1%),交锁复发1例(2%)。51个半月板中的44个(86·3%)经MRI复查,结果为:30个(68·2%)完全愈合,13个(29·5%)部分愈合,1个(2·3%)不愈合。38例患者共40个半月板(78·4%)经过二次手术探查,完全愈合者36个(90%),部分愈合者2个(5%),不愈合行半月板切除者2个(5%)。膝关节活动度检查显示3例伸膝受限>10°。结论:对于发生在红-红区或红-白区的大型半月板撕裂,采用自内向外与全关节内两种缝合技术可以保证撕裂的全长区域获得有效、稳定的修补,并且与ACL重建同期进行,可以获得很好的主、客观临床疗效。联合修补技术是安全、可靠的半月板大桶柄样撕裂的修补方法。     

The O'Donoghue triad revisited. Combined knee injuries involving anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligament tears

We identified 60 consecutive patients with combined anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligament (ACL-MCL) disruptions that were incurred during athletic endeavors. Each underwent acute reconstruction of the ACL. The arthroscopic data obtained at the time of reconstructive surgery was reviewed in order to determine the incidence of O'Donoghue's triad (the "unhappy triad"), consisting of ACL, MCL, and medial meniscus tears. Patients were subdivided into two groups for analysis based upon the degree of MCL injury at time of presentation (Group I, 35 patients with a second-degree sprain; Group II, 25 patients with a complete, or third-degree injury). Medial meniscus tears were an uncommon finding. Lateral meniscus tears significantly out-numbered medial meniscus tears in both groups, occurring in 25 (71%) of Group I patients and 8 (32%) of those in Group II. Even chondral fractures of the lateral femoral condyle outnumbered medial meniscus tears [6 (17%) versus 4 (11%)] in patients with a second-degree MCL sprain. Furthermore, when present in Group I patients, tears of the medial meniscus were associated with a concomitant lateral meniscus injury. Group II patients were more likely (60%) than Group I not to have any meniscal abnormality at all. We conclude that the classic O'Donoghue triad is, in fact, an unusual clinical entity among athletes with knee injuries; it might be more accurately described as a triad consisting of ACL, MCL, and lateral meniscus tears. This injury combination appears to be more common when an incomplete, or second-degree, tear of the medial collateral has occurred.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Clinical evaluation of meniscus repair with a bioabsorbable arrow: a 2- to 3-year follow-up study

In a clinical study with the bioabsorbable Bionx Meniscus Arrow we prospectively evaluated 113 consecutive patients (113 menisci) after all-inside meniscus repair. Repairs were performed in either the medial (80.5%) or lateral (19.5%) posterior horn in the red-red or red-white meniscal zone; 66% of patients underwent concomitant ACL reconstruction. Assessment was based on history, clinical examination, and Lysholm [37] and Cincinnati Knee Scores. After a mean follow-up was 33 months (range 24-43; n=105) 21 (20%) patients showed signs and symptoms consistent with a meniscus tear (16 medial, 5 lateral) and underwent partial meniscectomy. In 11 (52%) of the revised patients concomitant ACL reconstruction was performed; 4 (19%) of revised patients were older than 35 years. In the nonrevised the average Lysholm Score was 92.5 and the average Cincinnati Score 90.4. Two patients showed a distinct femoral cartilage damage. Patient's age did not significantly affect the revision rate. Meniscus repair with the bioabsorbable arrow leads to clinical results comparable to those of traditional suture techniques. When stabilized, patients with concomitant ACL reconstruction showed comparable results to patients without ACL rupture. The simple and time saving all-inside insertion obviates the need for additional incisions and avoids knot tying. A proper tear selection and arrow positioning is necessary and should avoid cartilage damage.     

Clinical outcomes of open meniscal repair of horizontal meniscal tears in young patients

Purpose

Symptomatic horizontal meniscal tears in young patients are a singular entity. The extent of the lesion is often large, without any injury to the knee. The meniscal tissue might be degenerative. However, a complete resection of the lesion would result in a subtotal meniscectomy. The purpose of this study was to consider the use of a meniscal repair in such patients in order to close the horizontal cleavage extending up to the avascular zone. The hypothesis was that the clinical outcomes after open meniscal repair of horizontal tears are good with a low rate of secondary meniscectomy.

Methods

Between 1998 and 2006, 28 patients (30 knees) underwent an open meniscal repair to treat symptomatic horizontal meniscal tears [6 women and 22 men, median age 25 years (16–44 years)]. The duration of symptoms was at least 12 weeks (12–72 weeks). Open meniscal repair was performed following arthroscopy. There were 14 medial and 7 lateral menisci, 10 grade 3 tears, and 11 grade 2 tears. If present (15 cases), meniscal cysts were removed using the same approach. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using KOOS and IKDC scores. The return to sporting activities and the need for a secondary meniscectomy were also assessed.

Results

Twenty-one patients were evaluated at a median follow-up of 40 months (24–101 months). Twenty returned to their preinjury level of sporting activity. The median KOOS score was 92 ± 12.9. The median subjective IKDC score was 89 ± 14.1. There were four secondary meniscectomies.

Conclusions

Open meniscal repair of complex horizontal tears extending into the avascular zone was effective at midterm follow-up in young and active patients. The meniscus was preserved in 80 % of cases. Functional results deteriorated in those older than 30 years. This entity should be differentiated from degenerative meniscal tears that often occur in patients over 50, which may be associated with osteoarthritis.

Level of evidence

Retrospective study, Level IV.     

Meniscal repair compared with meniscectomy for bucket-handle medial meniscal tears in anterior cruciate ligament-reconstructed knees

BACKGROUND: Repair of meniscal tears is generally preferred over meniscectomy. HYPOTHESIS: Repair of unstable bucket-handle tears of the medial meniscus leads to better outcomes than partial meniscectomy. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 155 patients who had isolated bucket-handle medial meniscal tears and anterior cruciate ligament tears. Fifty-six menisci were repaired; 99 that were degenerative and crushed beyond repair were removed. Patients were evaluated at a mean follow-up of 6 to 8 years after surgery with the International Knee Documentation Committee examination and a modified Noyes questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean subjective scores were similar for patients in both the repair (N = 51) and meniscectomy (N = 87) groups. However, in the repair group, the mean subjective score of 93.9 for nondegenerative menisci was significantly better than the 87.1 for degenerative menisci. Objective grades for 25 patients in the repair group were normal or nearly normal in 22 patients (88%) and for 51 of 56 patients (91%) in the removal group. Radiographic subscores for the repair group were normal or nearly normal in 23 patients in the repair group and 49 in the removal group. CONCLUSION: Outcomes from meniscal repair were not superior to those from partial removal. Patients with repaired degenerative tears had significantly lower subjective scores than those with nondegenerative tears.