Clinical results of meniscus repair.

BACKGROUND

The paper presents the results of clinical assessment of meniscal repair outcomes after a minimum of two years post-suturing.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The first stage of the treatment involved arthroscopic repair of 34 menisci in 31 knees of 30 patients, and the second stage was anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. The menisci were repaired mainly with PDS sutures, using an inside-out technique. A clinical evaluation of meniscal healing was performed at a mean of 3.9 years following the meniscal repair and involved an orthopaedic examination and a Lysholm score-based assessment of the knees. It was determined which factor (such as age, sex, trauma-to-suturing time, meniscal type, location and extent of tear, and extent of anterior tibial laxity) had had an effect on the results.

RESULTS

26 out of the 31 menisci evaluated (84%) were healed. Five menisci had failed to heal (16%). Lysholm scoring classified 16 results as excellent, nine as good and two as fair. A statistical analysis revealed that the location of the meniscal tear was the only factor possessing a statistically significant effect on the results.

CONCLUSION

1. In this study, 84% of meniscal symptoms and 13% of the evaluated meniscal healing after a minimum of two years post-surgery, whereas 3% showed meniscal symptoms and 13% of the evaluated menisci were resected. 2. Out of all analysed factors (patient age, sex, trauma-to-repair time, meniscus type, and the location, length and extent of the tear), only the location of the meniscal tear correlated significantly with the result of meniscal healing determined by clinical evaluation. 3. There was no statistically significant relationship between Lysholm scores and patient age, sex, trauma-to-repair time, or the location of the meniscal tear.