Failed Meniscal Repair Increases the Risk for Osteoarthritis and Poor Knee Function at an Average of 9 Years Follow-up

Overview

Journal Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc

Publisher Wiley

Specialties Emergency Medicine
General Surgery
Orthopedics

Date 2021 Feb 6

PMID 33547912

Citations 4

Authors

Erik Ronnblad

Bjorn Barenius

Anders Stalman

Karl Eriksson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of meniscal repair on OA in the knee joint and patient-related outcomes.

Methods: Three-hundred and sixteen meniscal repairs performed between 1999 and 2011 were analysed. Patient-related outcome measures were assessed through mailed questionnaires including KOOS, Lysholm score and Tegner activity level. Patients answering the questionnaires were encouraged to perform a radiographic evaluation with Rosenberg views, assessed according to Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) classification. The primary endpoint was to determine the effect of meniscal repair on the development of radiographic OA defined as a KL grade 2 or more.

Results: Mean follow-up time was 9.3 years (SD 3.6), 162 (51%) patients answered the questionnaires, and 86 patients completed the X-ray. The odds ratio for OA with a failed meniscus repair was 5.1 (p = 0.007) adjusted for gender and age at time of follow-up. KOOS showed a clinically important difference in the sport and recreation subscale (p = 0.041).

Conclusions: There was an increased risk for OA in the affected compartment with a failed meniscus fixation. This supports the fact that the meniscus is an important protector of the cartilage in the knee. The meniscus injury affects the long-term health-related quality of life according to KOOS and in light of this study we recommend repair of a torn meniscus whenever possible.

Level Of Evidence: III.

Citing Articles

Osteoarthritis Development Following Meniscectomy vs. Meniscal Repair for Posterior Medial Meniscus Injuries: A Systematic Review.

Hurmuz M, Ionac M, Hogea B, Miu C, Tatu F Medicina (Kaunas). 2024; 60(4).

PMID: 38674215 PMC: 11052089. DOI: 10.3390/medicina60040569.

Differences in postoperative knee function based on concomitant treatment of lateral meniscal injury in the setting of primary ACL reconstruction.

Kaarre J, Herman Z, Persson F, Wallgren J, Alentorn-Geli E, Hamrin Senorski E BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2023; 24(1):737.

PMID: 37715148 PMC: 10503181. DOI: 10.1186/s12891-023-06867-z.

The Interplay of Biomechanical and Biological Changes Following Meniscus Injury.

Bradley P, Thomas K, Kratzer A, Robinson A, Wittstein J, DeFrate L Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2022; 25(2):35-46.

PMID: 36479669 PMC: 10267895. DOI: 10.1007/s11926-022-01093-3.

The Danger Zone for Iatrogenic Neurovascular Injury in All-Inside Lateral Meniscal Repair in Relation to the Popliteal Tendon: An MRI Study.

Chuaychoosakoon C, Wuttimanop W, Tangjatsakow P, Charoenrattanawat S, Parinyakhup W, Boonriong T Orthop J Sports Med. 2021; 9(10):23259671211038397.

PMID: 34631905 PMC: 8493316. DOI: 10.1177/23259671211038397.

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