title: Posterior meniscus root tears: associated pathologies to assist as diagnostic tools.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate associated pathologies identified at arthroscopy in patients with meniscus root tears.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was Institutional Review Board approved. All patients who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery where a complete meniscus root tear was identified were included in this study. Concurrent ligament tears and articular cartilage changes ≥Outerbridge grade 2 were recorded and stored in a data registry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty patients (28 males, 22 females) [mean age = 36.5 years (range 17.1-68.1 years)] who were diagnosed with a medial or lateral meniscus root tear at arthroscopy were included in this study out of 673 arthroscopic surgeries (prevalence 7.4 %). Twenty-three (46 %) patients had a medial meniscus root tear, 26 (52 %) patients had a lateral meniscus root tear and one (2 %) patient had both. Thirty-four per cent of patients (n = 17) underwent partial meniscectomy, while 60 % (n = 31) underwent suture repair. During arthroscopy, 60 % (n = 30) of patients were diagnosed with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. Patients with lateral meniscus root tears were 10.3 times (95 % CI 2.6-42.5) more likely to have ACL tears than patients with medial meniscus root tears (p = 0.012). Patients who had medial meniscus root tears were 5.8 times (95 % CI 1.6-20.5) more likely to have chondral defects than patients who had lateral meniscus root tears (p = 0.044).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, patients' preoperative functional scores and activity levels were low. Patients with lateral meniscal root tears were more likely to have an ACL tear. Patients with medial meniscal root tears were more likely to have an knee articular cartilage defect with an Outerbridge grade 2 or higher chondral defect. This study confirms the importance of comprehensive assessment of concurrent injuries to properly diagnose meniscus root tears.
  
  
  METHODS
  IV.
authors.affiliation: Steadman Philippon Research Institute, 181 W. Meadow Dr. Ste. 1000, Vail, CO, 81657, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Matheny
authors.affiliation: Steadman Philippon Research Institute, 181 W. Meadow Dr. Ste. 1000, Vail, CO, 81657, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ockuly
authors.affiliation: Steadman Philippon Research Institute, 181 W. Meadow Dr. Ste. 1000, Vail, CO, 81657, USA.|The Steadman Clinic, 181 W. Meadow Dr. Ste. 400, Vail, CO, 81657, USA.
authors.forename: J Richard
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Steadman
authors.affiliation: Steadman Philippon Research Institute, 181 W. Meadow Dr. Ste. 1000, Vail, CO, 81657, USA. drlaprade@sprivail.org.|The Steadman Clinic, 181 W. Meadow Dr. Ste. 400, Vail, CO, 81657, USA. drlaprade@sprivail.org.
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: LaPrade
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012421:Rupture; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anterior cruciate ligament; Articular cartilage; Meniscus root tear; Posterior horn; Risk factors