Meniscus Status at Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Associated with Radiographic Signs of Osteoarthritis at 5- to 10-Year Follow-Up –A Systematic Review

Abstract

The development of premature osteoarthritis after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a significant cause of morbidity in young, active individuals. Meniscal injuries are frequently noted at the time of reconstruction, and the critical role of an intact meniscus in the prevention of osteoarthritis has been well documented. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the effects of meniscal status at ACL reconstruction on the subsequent development of osteoarthritis. A systematic review of the literature identified 11 studies with >2 years of follow-up that compared patients' radiographic outcomes based on meniscus status at the time of ACL reconstruction. Patients undergoing partial meniscectomy at the time of ACL reconstruction were significantly more likely to develop radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis than those with normal menisci. Meniscal repair resulted in inconsistent findings. Virtually all patients who underwent complete meniscectomy at the time of ACL reconstruction had radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis at follow-up. [J Knee Surg. 2009;22:347-357.]

Magnetic Resonance Imaging is not suitable for interpretation of meniscal status ten years after arthroscopic repair

“…Short-and long-term results are good when compared to a subtotal meniscectomy [1][2][3]. Therefore, meniscal repair has become the treatment of choice for traumatic meniscal lesions located in the vascularised area [4,5].…”

Meniscal Repair Outcomes at Greater Than Five Years

“…The meniscus is vital to normal function and longevity of the knee, as meniscal loss causes increased contact pressures and articular cartilage degeneration [3][4][5][6][7][8] . Meniscal repair techniques have evolved substantially in the last few decades, with open techniques replaced by arthroscopic techniques.…”

Postoperative change in medial meniscal length in concurrent all-inside meniscus repair with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

“…However, in a systematic literature review, stable medial meniscal tears left in situ during ACL reconstructions result in the high prevalence of failures, such as residual pain and subsequent meniscus repair (or partial meniscectomy) [21]. In our study, FasT-Fix all-inside meniscus repairs showed complete healing of simple longitudinal medial meniscus tears on second-look arthroscopic evaluation in 100 % of cases.…”