title: Long-term assessment of arthroscopic meniscus repair: a two- to six-year follow-up study.
abstract: The functions of the meniscus and subsequently the importance of meniscus preservation are well known. Thirty-one of 105 patients who underwent (closed) arthroscopic meniscus repair between 1982 and 1986 using an inside-out technique previously described were studied. Evaluations were based on The Hospital for Special Surgery knee rating system. Eighty-eight percent of the study population had a good-to-excellent outcome at an average 4.1 years follow-up. Most of these patients had no Fairbank changes on follow-up radiographs. Factors affecting outcome were analyzed. From this series, the at-risk factor for failure of meniscus repair is chronicity of injury (lasting longer than 2 weeks). Factors not noted to significantly influence results in this series include (a) age of the patient; (b) sex of the patient; (c) rim width up to 6 mm from the synovial meniscal junction; and (d) anterior cruciate ligament insufficiency. History of a reinjury and noncompliance with the postoperative rehabilitation protocol may also adversely influence results, but this is difficult to prove.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Frewin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gonzales
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries