Aims. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy versus physical therapy plus optional delayed arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in young patients aged under 45 years with traumatic meniscal tears. Methods. We conducted a multicentre, open-labelled, randomized controlled trial in patients aged 18 to 45 years, with a recent onset, traumatic, MRI-verified, isolated meniscal tear without knee osteoarthritis. Patients were randomized to arthroscopic partial meniscectomy or standardized physical therapy with an optional delayed arthroscopic partial meniscectomy after three months of follow-up. We performed a cost-utility analysis on the randomization groups to compare both treatments over a 24-month follow-up period. Cost utility was calculated as incremental costs per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy compared to physical therapy. Calculations were performed from a healthcare system perspective and a societal perspective. Results. A total of 100 patients were included: 49 were randomized to arthroscopic partial meniscectomy and 51 to physical therapy. In the physical therapy group, 21 patients (41%) received delayed arthroscopic partial meniscectomy during follow-up. Over 24 months, patients in the arthroscopic partial meniscectomy group had a mean 0.005 QALYs lower quality of life (95% confidence interval -0.13 to 0.14). The cost-utility ratio was €-160,000/QALY from the healthcare perspective and €-223,372/QALY from the societal perspective, indicating that arthroscopic partial meniscectomy incurs additional costs without any added health benefit. Conclusion. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy is arthroscopic partial meniscectomy is unlikely to be cost-effective in treating young patients with isolated traumatic meniscal tears compared to physical therapy as a primary health intervention. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy leads to a similar quality of life, but higher costs, compared to physical therapy plus optional delayed arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(11):1177–1183

Abstract. Background. Meniscal tears affect 222 per 100,000 of the population and can be managed non-operatively or operatively with an arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM), meniscal repair or meniscal transplantation. The purpose of this review is to summarise the outcomes following treatment with a meniscal tear and explore correlations between outcomes. Methodology. A systematic review was performed of MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify prospective studies describing the outcomes of patients with a meniscal tear. Comparisons were made of outcomes between APM and non-operative groups. Outcomes were graphically presented over time for all treatment interventions. Pearson's correlations were calculated between outcome timepoints. Results. 35 studies were included, 28 reported outcomes following APM; four following meniscal repair and three following meniscal transplant. Graphical plots demonstrated a sustained improvement for all treatment interventions. A moderate to very strong correlation was reported between baseline and three-month outcomes. In the medium term, there was small significant difference in outcome between APM and non-operative measures (SMD 0.17; 95 % CI 0.04, 0.29), however, this was not clinically significant. Conclusions. Patients with a meniscal tear demonstrated a sustained initial improvement in function scores, which was true of all treatments examined. APM may have little benefit in older people, however, previous trials did not include patients who meet the current indications for surgery as a result the findings should not be generalised to all patients with a meniscal tear. Further trials are required in patients who meet current operative indications

Abstract. Introduction. Previous research has demonstrated no clinically significant benefit of arthroscopic meniscectomy in patients with a meniscal tear, however, patients included in these studies would not meet current treatment recommendations. Prior to further randomised controlled trials (RCTs) research is needed to understand a younger population in more detail. Aim. To describe the baseline characteristics of patients with a meniscal tear and explore any association between baseline characteristics and outcome. Methodology. A prospective, national multicentre cohort study was performed recruiting patients aged 18 to 55 presenting to secondary care. MRI analysis of arthritis was performed using Whole Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score (WORMS) and bone shape analysis. Outcomes included the Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool (WOMET) and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS4) at 12 months. Results. 150 participants were recruited across eight sites with a mean age of 43.47 (SD 9.63). MRI analysis using WORMS score and bone shape analysis revealed no or early osteoarthritis. At 12 months, 67 (44.67%) of participants were managed non-operatively and 68 (45.33%) were operatively. Participants in the operative group were significantly younger with a lower BMI (p<0.05). A stepwise logistic regression model including 17 characteristics revealed that only baseline score and surgery significantly affected 12-month WOMET and KOOS4. Conclusion. This study in contrast to previous trials demonstrated a benefit of surgery for patients with a meniscal tear. The METRO study demonstrates that it is feasible to recruit younger patients and a future RCT is required using the study population included in this cohort

Aims. The best surgical strategy for the management of displaced bucket-handle (BH) meniscal tears in an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient knee is unclear. Combining meniscal repair with ACL reconstruction (ACLR) is thought to improve meniscal healing rates; however, patients with displaced BH meniscal tears may lack extension. This leads some to advocate staged surgery to avoid postoperative stiffness and loss of range of motion (ROM) following ACLR. Methods. We reviewed the data for a consecutive series of 88 patients (mean age 27.1 years (15 to 49); 65 male (74%) and 23 female (26%)) who underwent single-stage repair of a displaced BH meniscal tear (67 medial (76%) and 21 lateral (24%)) with concomitant hamstring autograft ACLR. The patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS), EuroQol five-dimension health questionnaire (EQ-5D), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), International Knee Documentation Committee score (IKDC), and Tegner score were recorded at final follow-up. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to estimate meniscal repair survivorship. Analyses were performed with different cut-offs for meniscal and ACL injury-to-surgery time (within three weeks, three to ten weeks, and more than ten weeks). Results. Meniscal repair survivorship at a median final follow-up of 55 months (interquartile range (IQR) 24 to 91) was 82% (95% confidence interval 70 to 89). A total of 13 meniscus repairs failed (12 requiring meniscectomy and one requiring a further meniscal repair). At final follow-up, median PROMs were: EQ-VAS 85 (IQR 75 to 90), EQ-5D Index 0.84 (IQR 0.74 to 1.00), KOOS Pain 89 (IQR 80 to 94), KOOS Symptoms 82 (IQR 71 to 93), KOOS Activities of Daily Living 97 (IQR 91 to 100), KOOS Sport and Recreation 80 (IQR 65 to 90), KOOS Quality of Life 69 (IQR 53 to 86), IKDC 82.8 (IQR 67.8 to 90.8), and Tegner 6 (IQR 4 to 7). Two patients underwent revision ACLR following further injuries. One patient had an arthroscopic washout for infection at 11 days post-BH meniscal repair/ACLR. Four patients (4.5%) required a further procedure for stiffness, reduced ROM, and pain, and all were operated on within three weeks of meniscal injury. There was no difference in the interval between meniscal injury and surgery between repairs that failed and those that survived. Conclusion. These data suggest that concomitant ACLR with repair of displaced BH meniscal tears, even if they have been displaced for some time, appears to afford satisfactory PROMs and good survivorship. Repairs within three weeks of meniscal injury may be associated with higher rates of postoperative reintervention for stiffness. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(6):680–686

Meniscal tears are the most common knee injuries, occurring in acute ruptures or in chronic degenerative conditions. Meniscectomy and meniscal repair are two surgical treatment options. Meniscectomy is easier, faster, and the patient can return to their normal activities earlier. However, this procedure has long-term consequences in the development of degenerative changes in the knee, potentially leading to knee replacement. On the other hand, meniscal repair can offer prolonged benefits to the patients, but it is difficult to perform and requires longer rehabilitation. Sutures are used for meniscal repairs, but they have limitations. They induce tissue damage when passing through the meniscus. Furthermore, under dynamic loading of the knee, they can cause tissue shearing and potentially lead to meniscal repair failure. Our team has developed a new technology of resistant adhesive hydrogels to coat the suture used to repair meniscal tissue. The objective of this study is to biomechanically compare two suture types on bovine menisci specimens: 1) pristine sutures and 2) gel adhesive puncture sealing (GAPS) sutures, on a repaired radial tear under cyclic tensile testing. Five bovine knees were dissected to retrieve the menisci. On the 10 menisci, a complete radial tear was performed. They were separated in two groups and repaired using either pristine (2-0 Vicryl) or GAPS (2-0 Vicryl coated with adhesive hydrogels) with a single stitch and five knots. The repaired menisci were clamped on an Instron machine. The specimens were cyclically preconditioned between one and 10 newtons for 10 cycles and then cyclically loaded for 500 cycles between five and 25 newtons at a frequency of 0.16 Hz. The gap formed between the edges of the tear after 500 cycles was then measured using an electronic measurement device. The suture loop before and after testing was also measured to ensure that there was no suture elongation or loosening of the knot. The groups were compared statistically using Mann-Whitney tests for nonparametric data. The level of significance was set to 0.05. The mean gap formation of the pristine sutures was 5.61 mm (SD = 2.097) after 500 cycles of tensile testing and 2.38 mm (SD = 0.176) for the GAPS sutures. Comparing both groups, the gap formed with the coated sutures was significantly smaller (p = 0.009) than with pristine sutures. The length of the loop was equal before and after loading. Further investigation of tissue damage indicated that the gap was formed by suture filament cutting into the meniscal tissue. The long-term objective of this research is to design a meniscal repair toolbox from which the surgeon can adapt his procedure for each meniscal tear. This preliminary experimentation on bovine menisci is promising because the new GAPS sutures seem to keep the edges of the meniscal tear together better than pristine sutures, with hopes of a clinical correlation with enhanced meniscal healing

Meniscal tears are the most common knee injuries, occurring in acute ruptures or in chronic degenerative conditions. Meniscectomy and meniscal repair are two surgical treatment options. Meniscectomy is easier, faster, and the patient can return to their normal activities earlier. However, this procedure has long-term consequences in the development of degenerative changes in the knee, potentially leading to knee replacement. On the other hand, meniscal repair can offer prolonged benefits to the patients, but it is difficult to perform and requires longer rehabilitation. Sutures are used for meniscal repairs, but they have limitations. They induce tissue damage when passing through the meniscus. Furthermore, under dynamic loading of the knee, they can cause tissue shearing and potentially lead to meniscal repair failure. Our team has developed a new technology of resistant adhesive hydrogels to coat the suture used to repair meniscal tissue. The objective of this study is to biomechanically compare two suture types on bovine menisci specimens: 1) pristine sutures and 2) gel adhesive puncture sealing (GAPS) sutures, on a repaired radial tear under cyclic tensile testing. Five bovine knees were dissected to retrieve the menisci. On the 10 menisci, a complete radial tear was performed. They were separated in two groups and repaired using either pristine (2-0 Vicryl) or GAPS (2-0 Vicryl coated with adhesive hydrogels) with a single stitch and five knots. The repaired menisci were clamped on an Instron machine. The specimens were cyclically preconditioned between one and 10 newtons for 10 cycles and then cyclically loaded for 500 cycles between five and 25 newtons at a frequency of 0.16 Hz. The gap formed between the edges of the tear after 500 cycles was then measured using an electronic measurement device. The suture loop before and after testing was also measured to ensure that there was no suture elongation or loosening of the knot. The groups were compared statistically using Mann-Whitney tests for nonparametric data. The level of significance was set to 0.05. The mean gap formation of the pristine sutures was 5.61 mm (SD = 2.097) after 500 cycles of tensile testing and 2.38 mm (SD = 0.176) for the GAPS sutures. Comparing both groups, the gap formed with the coated sutures was significantly smaller (p = 0.009) than with pristine sutures. The length of the loop was equal before and after loading. Further investigation of tissue damage indicated that the gap was formed by suture filament cutting into the meniscal tissue. The long-term objective of this research is to design a meniscal repair toolbox from which the surgeon can adapt his procedure for each meniscal tear. This preliminary experimentation on bovine menisci is promising because the new GAPS sutures seem to keep the edges of the meniscal tear together better than pristine sutures, with hopes of a clinical correlation with enhanced meniscal healing

Abstract. Introduction. Recent research has questioned the role of arthroscopic meniscectomy in patients with a meniscal tear leading to the development of treatment recommendations for these patients. There is a clear need to understand patient perceptions of living with a meniscal tear in order to plan future research and treatment guidelines. Aims. To explore the experiences and expectations of treatment of young patients with a meniscal tear of the knee. Methodology. Ten participants diagnosed with a meniscal tear were recruited from the METRO cohort study using a purposive sampling strategy. These patients underwent semi-sructured interviews between April and May 2021. Thematic analysis was used to code the transcripts and generate key themes in order to describe the data. Results. Themes identified relate to the broad areas of: the effect of symptoms, the expericne of the clinical consultation and the experience of the treatment modality undertaken. Meniscal tears have a profound impact on pain and many patients experience effects on their family and financial life in addition to physical symptoms. Participants expected the majority of their management to occur in secondary care and most thought surgery would be a definitive treatment, while the effectiveness of physiotherapy could not be guaranteed as it would not fix the physical tear. Conclusion. Patient experience of meniscal tear may not correspond with current available clinical evidence. Clinicians should consider the common misconceptions highlighted in this study when conducting a consultation and pre-empt them to optimally manage patient expectations

To evaluate the therapeutic effect of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) in the treatment of meniscal tears in the avascular region. Seventy-two twelve-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats with full-thickness longitudinal medial meniscal tears in the avascular region were divided into 3 groups: control group (G. con. ), treated with classic signal PEMF (G. classic. ), and high slew rate signal PEMF(G. HSR. ). The HSR signal has the same pulse and burst frequencies as the classic signal, but with a higher slew rate. Macroscopic observation and histological analysis of the meniscus and articular cartilage were performed to evaluate the meniscal healing and progressions of osteoarthritis. The synovium was harvested for histological and immunofluorescent analysis to assess the intra-articular inflammation. The meniscal healing, articular cartilage degeneration, and synovitis were quantitatively evaluated according to their respective scoring system. Dramatic degenerative changes of the meniscus and articular cartilage were noticed during gross observation and histological evaluation in the control group at 8 weeks. However, the menisci in the two treatment groups were restored to normal morphology with a smooth surface and shiny white color. Particularly, the HSR signal remarkably enhanced the fibrochondrogenesis and accelerated the remodeling process of the regenerated tissue. The meniscal healing scores of PEMF treatment groups were significantly higher than those in the control group at 8 weeks. Specifically, the HSR signal showed a significantly higher meniscal repair score than the classic signal at week 8 (P < .01). The degeneration score (G. con. versus G. classic. : P < .0001; Gcon versus G. HSR. : P < .0001) and synovitis score (G. con. versus Gclassic: P < .0001; G. con. versus G. HSR. : P = .0002) of the control groups were significantly higher than those in the two treatment groups. PEMF promoted the healing of meniscal tears in the avascular region and restored the injured meniscus to its structural integrity in a rat model. Compared to the classic signal, the HSR signal showed the increased capability to promote fibrocartilaginous tissue formation and modulate the inflammatory environment and therefore protected the knee joint from post-traumatic osteoarthritis development

The October 2024 Knee Roundup. 360. looks at: Managing the unexpected: treatment of intraoperative medial collateral ligament injuries; Identifying subgroups of patients that may benefit from robotic arm-assisted total knee arthroplasty: secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial; Cost-effectiveness of enoxaparin versus aspirin in the prevention of venous thromboembolism after total hip or knee arthroplasty: an analysis from the CRISTAL cluster-randomized trial; Cartilage regeneration and long-term survival in medial knee osteoarthritis patients treated with high tibial osteotomy and osteochondral autologous transfer system; Treatment of chronic and complex meniscal tears with arthroscopic meniscus repair augmented with collagen matrix wrapping: failure rate and functional outcomes; Long-term outcomes of multiligament knee injuries in American football players

The diagnosis of a meniscal tear may require MRI, which is costly. Ultrasonography has been used to image the meniscus, but there are no reliable data on its accuracy. We performed a prospective study investigating the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography in comparison with MRI; the final outcome was determined at arthroscopy. The study included 35 patients with a mean age of 47 years (14 to 73). There was a sensitivity of 86.4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 75 to 97.7), a specificity of 69.2% (95% CI 53.7 to 84.7), a positive predictive value of 82.6% (95% CI 70 to 95.2) and a negative predictive value of 75% (95% CI 60.7 to 81.1) for ultrasonography. This compared favourably with a sensitivity of 86.4% (95% CI 75 to 97.7), a specificity of 100.0%, a positive predictive value of 100.0% and a negative predictive value of 81.3% (95% CI 74.7 to 87.9) for MRI. Given that the sensitivity matched that of MRI we feel that ultrasonography can reasonably be applied to confirm the clinical diagnosis before undertaking arthroscopy. However, the lower specificity suggests that there is still a need to improve the technique to reduce the number of false-positive diagnoses and thus to avoid unnecessary arthroscopy

Purpose: The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether horizontal cleavage and complex meniscus tears, which supposed to be degenerative tears, are associated with an increase of specific matrix metalloproteinases and an increased incidence of cartilage damage, in comparison with patients having other patterns of meniscal injury. 1. ,. 2. . Materials and Methods: Data were collected prospectively from 32 knee arthroscopies, patients were assigned by intraoperative findings due to their meniscal tear to one of two groups: “degenerative meniscal lesions” (horizontal cleavage and complex tears; n=20) or “traumatic tears” (longitudinal and radial tears; n=12). Patient data (age, duration of symptoms, mechanism of injury, body mass index [BMI]), intra-articular and radiographic findings were recorded. Samples of knee joint fluid were analyzed for the matrix matrix metalloproteinases pro-MMP-1, MMP-3 and pro-MMP-13, which are postulated to be involved in articular cartilage degradation. 3. Cartilage changes were classified intraoperative by Outerbridge (grade 0–4). Praeoperative bone morphology of the knee joint was graduated by Kellgren-Lawrence (Stadium 0–4). The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) was used to assess the patients opinion about their knee and associated symptoms and function preoperative and 1.5 years postoperative. Results: Degenerative meniscus lesions appeared predominantly at the end of fifty years of age (58.5±13.9 years), whereas other patterns of meniscal lesions happened around 30 years of age (28.7±8.1 years; P< .0001; Fig. 1 [Median]). Patients with a degenerative meniscus lesion had marginally overweight, whereas patients with a traumatic tear were in the normal range regarding the body mass index (BMI 23.7±5.3 vs. BMI 26.8±3.9; P=.044). A comparison of patients with horizontal cleavage and complex meniscal tears (“degenerative tears”) to patients with longitudinal or radial (“traumatic”) tears showed for the former increased severity of chondral lesions (Outerbridge: 2.9±1.4 vs 1.1±0.9; P=.001; Fig. 2 [Median]) and radiographic osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence: 1.9±1.5 vs 0.4±0.5; P=.004; Fig. 3 [Median]). The KOOS improved after arthroscopic treatment in the degenerativemeniscal-tear group as well as in the traumatic-tear group significantly (Total-KOOS Score preoperative: 36.5±30.7 and 38.1±24.8; Total-KOOS Score 1.5 years postoperative: 87.8±6.7 and 49.2±21.9; p=.043 and p=.012; “0” indicates extreme knee problems; “100” indicates no knee problems; Fig. 4 [Median]). Pro-MMP-13 correlated significantly with an increase of chondral lesions and radiographic osteoarthritis (r=.534; p=.003; r=.457; p=.02). MMP-3 concentrations in the synovial fluid of patients with a degenerative meniscus lesion were about 20% higher compared to patients with other patterns of meniscal lesions. No one of the investigated MMPs correlated significantly with a specific meniscal injury (Fig. 5 [Median]). Conclusions: Complex and horizontal cleavage meniscal tears are not as benign as was previously thought and are highly associated with an increased severity of cartilage degeneration and radiographic osteoarthritis. In spite of distinct cartilage changes arthroscopic treatment improved knee-related symptoms at least on medium-term also in patients with degenerative meniscal tears. In this study, increased concentrations of the investigated MMPs did not seem to be associated with specific patterns of meniscal lesions

The importance of meniscal tears repair is discussed widely in the literature. The repair should be performed if the conditions promise some chance for healing. Due to technical difficulties many orthopaedic surgeons still prefer partial meniscectomy to meniscal repair. We describe our techniques for meniscal repair. The described techniques could be used by any surgeon with basic skills in arthroscopic surgery. No special equipment is needed. The basic equipment for this technique is a standard 18 gouge needle. The plastic cup of the needle is cut away in order to overcome the ridge between the plastic and the metal part of the needle, thus making the suture passage easier. Following the arthroscopic identification of the meniscal tear and preparing the torn parts for repair, the place for the first suture is identified. A 2–3 mm long skin incision is made. The subcutaneous tissue is bluntly developed to the capsule. The 18 gouge needle is past from outside-in in the desired point through the torn margins of the meniscus. The tip of the needle is emerged above or under the meniscal surface, depends on our decision of suture position. 1st step – Producing a loop outside the joint: Two ends of a nylon 2/0 suture are inserted through the needle into the joint cavity, and pulled out through one of the arthroscopic portals. The needle is removed. The result of this step is a nylon 2/0 suture passing through the torn parts of the meniscus with a loop outside the joint. 2nd step – Producing a double-loop inside the joint cavity: A second nylon 2/0 suture is passed through the first loop. The first suture is pulled into the joint. At this stage, both loops are inside the joint, holding each other. The free ends of the first loop are emerged through one of the arthroscopic portals, while the free ends of the second loop pass through the torn parts of the meniscus and emerge through the capsule. 3rd step – Producing the meniscal suture: A second 19 gouge needle is inserted close to the point of insertion of the first one, directed into the joint. The emerging point of this needle, on the meniscus, should be positioned according to the desired suture direction (transverse, vertical, or oblique). The tip of the needle is then directed into the “2nd” nylon loop (the “1st” nylon loop can assist at this stage). The loop is wrapped over the needle, and the 1st suture is removed. PDS suture (1/0 or 2/0) is inserted through the needle until a 5 cm free end is positioned intra articular. The needle is removed with caution without pulling the PDS suture, leaving the. PDS free end inside the nylon loop. The nylon loop is used as a pooling tool for the PDS suture. Pulling the free end of the PDS suture out of the joint results in a PDS loop for the meniscal suture (in order to avoid iatrogenic tear of the meniscal tissue while pulling the sutures, a probe should be positioned under the PDS suture during the process). The PDS is tightened over the capsule. The technique is repeated as much as necessary for perfect repair of the meniscus. The advantage of this method is that it does not necessitates unique equipment, but rather uses the ordinary arthroscopic tools and sutures. This method was used successfully upon large number of meniscal tears. We recommend its use routinely

Introduction: Currently, partial meniscectomy represents the only viable treatment option for patients with irreparable meniscal tears; however, functional limitations have been reported both in the short- and long-term. Furthermore, over time, removal of knee meniscus tissue leads to degenerative joint changes and osteoarthritis. Given the limited alternatives to meniscus removal, researchers have developed a novel meniscal scaffold. Upon implantation to the vascularized portion of the meniscus, the scaffold allows the ingrowth of blood vessels, facilitating the regeneration of meniscal tissue. Methods: A total of 52 patients with an irreparable medial or lateral meniscal tear or partial meniscus loss (with intact rim) were recruited into this prospective, non-randomised, single-arm, multi-centre clinical study. Patients were to have a stable knee joint or be a candidate for joint stabilization within 12 weeks of the procedure, an International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) classification ≤ 2, and no more than 3 prior surgeries on the index knee. Post-implantation, clinical efficacy was assessed at each follow-up visit based on the following patient-reported outcome scores: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score for pain, and both the Knee and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score for function. Preliminary efficacy data are available for 48/52 patients at 3 months follow-up and 35/52 patients at 6 months follow-up. Full data, including 12 months follow-up for all available patients will be presented. Results: Compared to the mean baseline values, a statistically significant reduction in post-operative knee pain was reported based on VAS both at 3 and 6 months. Statistically significant improvements compared to baseline were also reported in IKDC scores and all components of the KOOS questionnaire both at 3 and 6 months post implantation. Conclusions: These promising clinical results clearly illustrate the early efficacy of this novel meniscus implant for partial meniscus tissue loss. Longer follow-up is however needed to establish its full potential

The aim of the present study was to compare the mechanical properties of the torn menisci between stable and ACL unstable knees. Material and method: Ten medial menisci from isolated bucket handle tears and ten from ACL deþcient knees (injury < 3 months) during ACL reconstruction were obtained after an arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. They were þxed and tested mechanically in tension. The modulus of elasticity (E), maximum stress σmax, maximum load, and stress-strain curves were evaluated. Results: In the isolated tears E was 56.35 Mpa (median values) and in the ACL deþcient knees was 163.0 MPa and it was signiþcant (P=0,023). The maximum failure stress σmax was 9,22 Mpa for the þrst group and 17,26 Mpa for the latter and this was also signiþcant (P=0.04) Conclusions: The bucket handle torn menisci from the stable knees had inferior mechanical characteristics compared to the ACL deþcient knees. In other words isolated meniscal tears seem to be an inferior material compared to those of the ACL deþcient knees. The authors believe that it is worth considering a low cost and morbidity partial meniscectomy in isolated bucket handle tears, instead of a more demanding and long lasting meniscal repair operation followed by an also longer rehabilitation time

Although remnant-preserved ACL reconstruction (ACLR) restores knee joint stability and dampens the problem of acute ACL rupture-induced knee pain, an increasing number of patients still develop post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) after 10 to 15 years of ACLR. We previously found that remnant-preserved ACLR with concomitant medial and lateral meniscus repair may not prevent cartilage degeneration and weaken muscle strength, while the clinical features of PTOA are not clear. We hypothesized that remnant-preserved ACLR with concomitant medial and lateral meniscus tears is related to early cartilage damage, worse function recovery, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and delayed duration to return to sports. The aim is to evaluate the remnant-preserved ACLR with complicated meniscal injuries in predicting which patients are at higher risk of osteoarthritic changes, worse function and limited activities after ACLR for 12 months.

Human ethical issue was approved by a committee from Xi'an Jiaotong University. 26 young and active patients (24 male, 2 female) with ACL injuries (Sherman type I and II) with concomitant medial and lateral meniscus within 2 months were included from January 2014 to March 2022. The average age of the ACLR+ meniscus repair was 26.77±1.52 (8 right, 5 left) and isolated ACLR control was 31.92±2.61 years old (7 left, 6 right). Remnant-preserved ACLR with a 5- to 6-strand hamstring tendon graft was operated on by the same sports medicine specialists. MRI CUBE-T₂ scanning with 48 channels was conducted by a professional radiologist. The volume of the ACL graft was created through 3 dimensional MRI model (Mimics 19, Ann Arbor). Anterior Cruciate Ligament OsteoArthritis Score (ACLOAS) was applied to score visible cartilage damage. IKDC 2000 score and VAS were assessed by two blinded researchers. Results were presented as mean± SEM of each group.

The cross-sectional area and 3D volume of the ACL graft were greater in the remnant-preserved ACLR+meniscus group compared with isolated ACLR (p=0.01). It showed that ACLR+ meniscus group had early signs of joint damage and delayed meniscus healing regarding ACLOAS compared to control group (p=0.045). MRI CUBE-T₂ prediction of radiographic cartilage degeneration was not obvious in both groups post remnant-preserved ACLR over 12 months (p>0.05). However, higher VAS scores, lower IKDC scores, and long-last joint swelling were reported in the ACLR+ meniscus repair group at the end of 12 months follow-up. Although remnant-preserved ACLR+ meniscus was able to maintain the restore the knee function, it showed delayed timing (>12 months) to return to play at the pre-injury stage, while no difference between the timing of returning to the normal daily routine of their ACLR knee compared to control (p=0.30). The cost of ACLR+ meniscus (average 10,520.76$) was higher than the control group (6,452.92$, p=0.018).

Remnants-preserved ACLR with concomitant injured medial and lateral meniscus repair shows a higher risk of cartilage damage, greater cost, worse functional performance, and longer time for young male patients to return to sports after 12-month follow-up compared to isolated ACLR. Further evidence and long-term follow-up are needed to better understand the association between these results and the risk of development of PTOA in this patient cohort.

Purpose: The mechanical function and strain behavior of the knee meniscus is not fully understood, due to multiple tissues with disparate properties, as well as complex contact patterns and intricate loading mechanisms. More comprehensive understanding of joint mechanics may contribute to improved treatment options for patients with injuries and osteoarthritis. There is very limited information available on the 3D strain of the intact meniscus. The objective of this work was to use mCT with copper microsphere markers to quantify three-dimensional strain of the meniscus under physiologic loading.

Method: Two healthy fresh frozen ovine knee specimens were harvested. Copper microspheres (0.5mm) were injected into anterior and posterior tetrahedral clusters in the medial meniscus using 20-gauge hypodermic needles. Needle cavities were sealed with ovine tendon tissue. Joints were loaded to 100% body weight in a 4 DOF CT-compatible pneumatically-driven device with flexion angles ranging from 62–98°. Images were acquired with an eXplore Locus Ultra mCT scanner and reconstructed with commercial software. A time series of images were acquired with the joint unloaded, during static loading, and at a reduced load (25% BW).

Results: The average maximum principle strains in the anterior element of the two specimens at 62o of flexion increased by 21% during loading and decreased by 13% during unloading. The maximum principle strains were 28% larger in the anterior element than the posterior. The strains in the anterior element decreased by 6.5% with time following load application, and decreased by 16% with load reduction, yielding relatively low residual strain. Strains were 2% larger in the anterior portion with larger flexion angles.

Conclusion: The objective of this work was to develop a reliable method for quantifying 3D strains in the meniscus. Results support the notion that mCT imaging with copper microspheres in the meniscus may be a viable technique for more comprehensive 3D strain analysis. The relatively low residual strains measured in this study indicate that copper microspheres are stable markers in this application. This technique may be useful in directing future studies aimed at understanding the impact of meniscal pathologies and the success of repair techniques.

We examined the menisci in 47 patients at the time of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Twenty-one patients had abnormal menisci at a mean of 34 months after injury, but there was no difference between the Lysholm scores of patients with intact or damaged menisci. Eleven patients had a new meniscal injury between reconstruction and review at a mean of six years later; only 15 patients had both menisci intact nine years after injury. If pivot shift had been cured, the incidence of meniscal injury was reduced, but remained higher than normal. If pivot shift returned after reconstruction there was a significantly higher incidence of meniscal injury. Meniscal lesions appear to be the result of instability and not the cause.

Meniscal tears are the most common injury in the knee, affecting 66/100,000 people/year. Surgical treatment includes arthroscopic meniscectomy or meniscal repair. Little is known regarding medium-term outcomes following these procedures in isolated meniscal tears. This study aims to quantitatively evaluate patients with meniscal tears, and those who have undergone meniscectomy and meniscal repair using validated patient reported outcome measures (PROMs), further exploring factors which affect surgical outcomes. This observational study screened 334 patients who underwent arthroscopic surgery at South Tyneside Hospital since August 2013. 134 patients with isolated meniscal tears were invited to complete postal PROMs. A combination of patient notes and radiological imaging was used to collect information of interest including age, gender, knee-laterality, injured meniscus, tear pattern, procedure performed, complications, and associated injuries. A total of 115 patients (pre-operative patients with current meniscal tear (n=36), meniscectomy (n=63), meniscal repair (n=16)) were included in the analysis with 96% successful PROM completion. Both meniscectomy and meniscal repairs (mean 55-months follow-up) showed better outcomes than pre-operative patients with meniscal tears. Meniscal repairs demonstrated superior outcomes across all PROMs when compared to meniscectomy, with a greater mean overall KOOS score of 17.2 (p=0.009). Factors including higher pre-operative Kellgren-Lawrence Grade, pre-operative articular cartilage lesions and bilateral meniscectomies were shown to negatively influence outcomes. Both meniscectomy and meniscal repair maintain clinical benefit at mean 55-months follow-up, affirming their use for treatment of meniscal tears. When feasible, meniscal repair should be performed preferentially over meniscectomy in isolated meniscal tears. Identified predictive factors allow adequate treatment stratification in specific patient groups

Meniscal tears commonly co-occur with ACL tears, and many studies address their side, pattern, and distribution. Few studies assess the patient's short-term functional outcome concerning tear radial and circumferential distribution based on the Cooper et al. classification. Meniscal tears require primary adequate treatment to restore knee function. Our hypothesis is to preserve the meniscal rim as much as possible to maintain the load-bearing capacity of the menisci after meniscectomy. The purpose of this study is to document the location and type of meniscal tears that accompany anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and their effect on patient functional outcomes following arthroscopic ACL reconstruction and meniscectomy. This prospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted at AL-BASRA Teaching Hospital in Iraq between July 2018 and January 2020 among patients with combined ipsilateral ACL injury and meniscal tears. A total of 28 active young male patients, aged 18 to 42 years, were included. All patients were subjected to our questionnaire, full history, systemic and regional examination, laboratory investigations, imaging studies, preoperative rehabilitation, and were followed by Lysholm score 6 months postoperatively. All 28 patients were males, with a mean age of 27 ± 0.14 years. The right knee was the most commonly affected in 20/28 patients (71.4%). The medial meniscus was most commonly injured in 11 patients, 7 patients had lateral meniscal tears, and 10 patients had tears in both menisci. The most common tear pattern of the medial meniscus was a bucket handle tear (36.4%), while longitudinal tears were the most frequent in the lateral meniscus (71.4%) (P-value = 0.04). The most common radial tear location was zone E-F (5/28, 17.8%), and the most common circumferential zone affected was the middle and inner third, reported in 50% of tears. Good and excellent outcomes using the Lysholm score after 6 months were obtained in 42.9% and 17.9% of patients, respectively. Better functional scores were associated with lateral meniscal tears, bucket handle tears, tears extending to a more peripheral vascular area, and if no more than one-third of the meniscus was resected (P-value = 0.002). Less favourable outcomes were reported in smokers, posterior horn tears, and when surgery was delayed more than 1 year (P-value = 0.03). We conclude that there is a negative correlation between the amount of meniscus resected and functional outcome. Delayed ACL reconstruction increases the risk of bimeniscal tears. Bucket handle tears are the most common tears, mostly in the medial meniscus, while longitudinal tears are most common in the lateral meniscus. We recommend performing early ACL reconstruction within 12 months to reduce the risk of bimeniscal injuries