title: Long-term outcome after all-inside meniscal repair using the RapidLoc system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the outcome at a minimum of 7 years following meniscal repair using the RapidLoc (suture anchor) system. It was hypothesized that most patients would have an intact meniscus, as has been reported in several short- and medium-term studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the time period from 2002 to 2007, all patients with a vertical longitudinal tear of the meniscus that was judged to be repairable were treated with rasping of the tear area and nearby parameniscal synovium and fixation of the torn part with the use of RapidLoc implants. Using a surgeon-administered form, baseline information about the arthroscopic findings and procedures performed was recorded (at the time of surgery). A median 10-year (range 7-12 years) follow-up was conducted in 2014-2015, and surgical procedures to the knee following the (index) meniscal repair were registered. Treatment failure was defined as a new surgical procedure to the same meniscus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the time of follow-up, 39 out of 82 patients (48 %) had undergone further surgery to the repaired meniscus (failures). Nine of these occurred within the first 6 months after surgery, 21 within the first 12 months and 26 within the first 24 months. Thus, the failure rate was 11 % at 6 months, 23 % at 12 months and 28 % at 2 years. One-third (N = 13) of the failures occurred 2 years or later after the (index) meniscal repair.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term results of meniscal repair using the RapidLoc implants were found to be poor with a high failure rate. In a large proportion of the cases, re-rupture appeared several years after the index surgery, and a commonly used follow-up period of 2 years would therefore fail to detect them. In the day-by-day clinical work, of interest to orthopaedic surgeons is that meniscal repair using an all-inside technique similar to the one used by the authors may not solve the problem in the long run.
  
  
  METHODS
  IV.
authors.affiliation: Teres Bergen, Bergen, Norway. eirik.solheim@uib.no.|Deaconess University Hospital, Haraldsplass, Bergen, Norway. eirik.solheim@uib.no.|Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. eirik.solheim@uib.no.
authors.forename: Eirik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Solheim
authors.affiliation: Teres Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Janne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hegna
authors.affiliation: Deaconess University Hospital, Haraldsplass, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Eivind
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Inderhaug
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012421:Rupture; D053441:Suture Anchors; D013536:Suture Techniques; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Arthroscopy; Bucket-handle tear; Knee; Meniscal repair; Meniscus