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Better results and survivorship found with refixation vs partial meniscectomy for root tears
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A minimum 5-year follow-up of patients with medial meniscus posterior root tears showed patients who underwent refixation had superior clinical scores, radiologic outcomes and survivorship compared with patients treated with partial meniscectomy.
“Refixation slowed the progression of arthritic changes compared with partial meniscectomy, although it did not prevent the progression of arthrosis completely,” the authors wrote.
Researchers retrospectively followed 20 patients who underwent treatment with partial meniscectomy and 37 patients who underwent arthroscopic root refixation with pullout repair. The mean follow-up for partial meniscectomy group and refixation group was 67.7 months and 72 months, respectively. Investigators evaluated patients using Lysholm and IKDC scores and radiographically evaluated patients for their Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grade and medial joint space width.
Mean Lysolm and IDKC scores had significantly improved from preoperative values to last follow-up in both groups, with the refixation group showing significantly better scores for both measures compared with partial meniscectomy group. At the final follow-up, the medial joint space width significantly worsened in both groups. However, the refixation group showed less K-L progression and less medial joint space narrowing compared with the partial meniscectomy group.
Conversion to total knee arthroplasty was performed in 35% of patients in the partial meniscectomy group. No patient in the refixation group required conversion. According to a Kaplan-Meier analysis, the partial meniscectomy group and refixation group had a 5-year survival rate of 75% and 100%, respectively. ‒ by Monica Jaramillo
Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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