[Study of the feasibility of lateral meniscal repair including the popliteal tendon with a knee simulator].
BACKGROUND
Although the indications for lateral meniscal repair are well established, some aspects are still controversial. The classic recommendation is to avoid going through the popliteal tendon with sutures, even though this is at times difficult to achieve. The purpose of this paper was to assess the feasibility of a meniscal repair that included the popliteal tendon.


METHODS
To this end, nine human fresh frozen knees were used, in which a bucket handle lesion of the lateral meniscus was inflicted. The knees were divided into three groups: Group A (control): meniscal repair was performed with 5 vertical sutures, 2 posterior and 3 anterior to the popliteal fossa; Group B: one stitch was added between the lateral meniscus and the popliteal tendon, and Group C: the additional stitch included the meniscus, the popliteal tendon and the articular capsule. In all cases a lateral condyle osteotomy was performed to access the lateral compartment of the knee. Once the osteotomy had been fixed, the knees underwent 1000 gait cycles and a rotational test using an experimental gait simulator. Then a macroscopic assessment of the meniscal repair and the popliteal tendon was performed.


RESULTS
No differences were seen in the previous situation in any of the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In this experimental model the repair of the lateral meniscus including the popliteal tendon did not seem to have any repercussions on suture viability.
López
Xavier Pelfort
XP
Servicio de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología, Hospitales IMAS (Mar y Esperanza), Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. 92858@imas.imim.es
Tey Pons
Marc
M
Reina de la Torre
Francisco
F
Verdier
Lluís Puig
LP
Alier Fabregó
Albert
A
Pavlovich
Rafael Iñigo
RI
Monllau García
Joan Carles
JC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002102:Cadaver; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007717:Knee / Q000601:surgery; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery*