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New Technique of Arthroscopic Meniscus Repair in Radial Tears

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Sports Injuries

Abstract

The meniscus is an important tissue in the knee joint from the biomechanical point of view and indispensable to maintaining a healthy knee joint. The radial meniscal tear that breaks circumferential fibers is problematic to repair. We developed a new arthroscopic repair technique for radial or flap meniscal tears. The purpose of this study was to determine the outcome of this repair technique.

Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine meniscal repairs for radial tear were evaluated by a comprehensive examination at 18 months postoperatively and by follow-up arthroscopy at 9 months postoperatively. The mean age was 25.5 years (range, 16–42 years). Twenty-one patients (78%) also had ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament, which were reconstructed simultaneously with autogenous hamstring tendons. Eleven medial and 18 lateral menisci were repaired by inside-out technique using nonabsorbable sutures with fibrin clot. Vertical sutures were first placed near the both edge of radial tear for reduction and horizontal mattress sutures were then tightened over the prefixed vertical sutures and the tear site so as to close the gap of the tear and that the horizontal sutures transfer hoop strain over the tear site without slipping along the circumferential fibers. Postoperatively, the knee was immobilized for 1 week, and weight bearing was allowed after 4 weeks. Subjective symptoms and the follow-up arthroscopy were reviewed for evaluation.

Results: At 18 months postoperatively, 24 out of 27 patients (89%) were asymptomatic for tibiofemoral joint symptoms. Three knees had hydrops. The follow-up arthroscopy revealed that 19 (66%) repairs were complete healing, 8 (28%) were partial healing, and 2 were failure. Two repairs failed to heal, requiring partial meniscectomy. The patient rating of overall knee condition was normal/very good in 81%, and good/fair in 19%.

Conclusions: A novel arthroscopic meniscal repair technique for relatively young patients with symptomatic radial or flap meniscal tear resulted in a favorable postoperative course at 18 months.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamada-oka, Suita, 565-0871, Japan

    Ken Nakata, Takashi Kanamoto, Tatsuo Mae, Yuzo Yamada, Hiroshi Amano & Hideki Yoshikawa

  2. Osaka Prefecture University, 3-7-30 Habikino, Habikino, 583-8555, Japan

    Konsei Shino (Faculty of Comprehensive Rehabilitation)

  3. Department of Rehabilitation Science, Osaka Health Science University, Osaka University Center for Advanced Medical Engineering and Informatics, 1-9-27 Tenma, Kita-ku, Osaka, 530-0043, Japan

    Norimasa Nakamura

  4. Department of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Osaka Rosai Hospital, 1179-3 Nagasonecho, Kita-ku, Sakai, 591-8025, Japan

    Shuji Horibe

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  1. Ken Nakata
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Correspondence to Ken Nakata .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fac. Medicine, Dept. Orthopedics & Traumatology, Hacettepe University, Hasyrcylar Caddesi, Ankara, 94110, Turkey

    Mahmut Nedim Doral

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Nakata, K. et al. (2012). New Technique of Arthroscopic Meniscus Repair in Radial Tears. In: Doral, M. (eds) Sports Injuries. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-15630-4_41

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-15630-4_41

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