Failure rate, return-to-sports and magnetic resonance imaging after meniscal repair: 119 patients with 7 years mean follow up

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

Research background

We perform a large number of meniscal repairs every year. Our surgical techniques have been improving along the years, and with it, the outcomes achieved.

Research motivation

We observed a great improvement over the years in our patient outcomes. That is why we decided to analyze and report the long-term results of our series.

Research objectives

To analyze the failure rate and compare outcomes in our series of patients operated on for longitudinal meniscal lesions. It is important to understand that improvement in the number of stitches and surgical technique is associated with better outcomes than what is reported in the literature.

Research methods

We retrospectively analyzed and compared demographic data, surgical details, return to sport and failure rate using specific statistical tools.

Research results

In our series we found an important decrease in failure rates by improving our surgical technique and increasing the number of stitches. Even so, there is still a high percentage of patients in whom this type of repair fails. It is very important to continue investigating complementary methods that can help to further reduce this failure rate.

Research conclusions

The new theory provided by the paper is that the failure rate may continue to fall even further.

Research perspectives

Future work could compare the same type of sutures with biological augmentation such as platelet-rich plasma or stem cells.