Clinical outcomes of revision meniscal repair: a case series.
BACKGROUND
Meniscal preservation results in better clinical outcomes than meniscectomy; however, no studies have evaluated the results of revision meniscal repair.


OBJECTIVE
Revision meniscal repair can achieve good clinical outcomes.


METHODS
Case series; Level of evidence, 4.


METHODS
The study participants were 16 patients with symptomatic meniscal retears of a total of 96 patients who underwent primary arthroscopic meniscal repair. Fifteen of these 16 patients underwent revision meniscal repair. The mean age at revision was 27 years, and the mean duration between the primary operation and revision was 27 months. Eight patients had degenerative changes of the meniscus at revision. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Lysholm score and the Tegner sports activity score, and image assessment was performed using magnetic resonance imaging.


RESULTS
Five patients had re-retears of a resutured meniscus, and the mean duration between revision and the re-retear was 25 months (range, 8-68 months). The mean follow-up of patients without re-retears was 41 months (range, 24-74 months), and the mean Lysholm score in those without re-retears significantly improved from 81.4 points (range, 73-89 points) at pre-revision to 97.4 points (range, 90-100 points) at the final survey (P = .0001). Degenerative changes of the meniscus at the revision site were observed in all 5 patients with re-retears but in only 3 of the 10 patients without re-retears.


CONCLUSIONS
Revision meniscal repair should be considered in the setting of a retorn meniscus without degenerative changes.
Shinji Imade, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, 89-1, Enya, Izumo, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan. imades@med.shimane-u.ac.jp.
Shinji
S
Imade
Nobuyuki
N
Kumahashi
Suguru
S
Kuwata
Masaru
M
Kadowaki
Syuji
S
Ito
Yuji
Y
Uchio
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D001915:Braces; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
arthroscopic surgery; clinical assessment; knee; revision meniscal repair