Histologic change of the meniscus and cartilage tissue after meniscal suture

The influence of suturing on cell infiltration into the meniscus and surrounding tissue is not well known. Histologic changes in the meniscus after suturing and prediction of histologic changes using magnetic resonance imaging were studied. Forty knees in 20 mongrel dogs were studied using four types of 4-0 suture material: nonabsorbable monofilament, nonabsorbable braided, absorbable monofilament, and absorbable braided. Each type of suture material was used for meniscal suture on eight knees each. The other eight knees were not subjected to meniscal suture. Specimens obtained at 1 and 3 months were studied by magnetic resonance imaging and light microscopic analysis. The maximum width of change of meniscal tissue was measured. Changes from the nonabsorbable suture group were smaller than that of the absorbable suture group in magnetic resonance imaging. Histologic changes as seen by light microscope were larger in the absorbable group than in the nonabsorbable group at 1 and 3 months after surgery. Injury was found in the articular cartilage of the femoral condyle in the nonabsorbable braided suture group. Histologic changes were significantly greater when changes in magnetic resonance imaging signal intensity were larger. The current study showed that non-absorbable monofilament suture material results in the least damage to the meniscus and surrounding tissue.