Long-term outcomes of all-inside meniscal repair

The mean reported healing rate after meniscal repair is 60 % of complete healing, 25 % of partial healing and 15 % of failure. However, partially or incompletely healed menisci are often asymptomatic in the short term. It is unknown whether the function of the knee with a partially or incompletely healed meniscus is disturbed in the long term. The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term outcomes of meniscal repairs according to the initial rate of healing.

Forty-one consecutive meniscal repairs were performed between 2002 and 2003. The median age at the time of surgery was 22 years (9–40). There were 25 medial and 16 lateral menisci. When present, all ACL lesions underwent reconstruction (61.3 % of cases). According to Henning’s criteria, by Arthro-CT at 6 months, twenty cases had healed completely, seven partially healed and four cases healed incompletely.

At a mean follow-up of 114 ± 10 months, 31 patients were retrospectively followed for clinical and imaging assessments. Objective IKDC score was good in 92 % of the cases (17 IKDC A, 8 B and 2 C). The mean KOOS distribution was as follows: pain 94.3 ± 9; symptoms 90.9 ± 15; daily activities 98.7 ± 2; sports activities 91.1 ± 14; and quality of life 91.5 ± 15. Twenty-three patients displayed no signs of osteoarthritis when compared to the non-injured knee, six patients had grade 1 osteoarthritis and two grade 2. The subjective IKDC score did not decrease with time (ns). Moreover, there were no differences between lateral and medial menisci (ns), in stable or stabilised knees (ns). The initial meniscal healing rate did not significantly influence clinical or imaging outcomes (ns). Four patients with no healing underwent a meniscectomy (12.9 %).

Arthroscopic all-inside meniscal repair with hybrid devices may provide long-term protective effects, even if the initial healing is incomplete.

Case series, Level IV.