[The treatment method of arthroscopic repair of meniscus tear]

To investigate the result of the arthroscopic repair of the meniscus tears with the absorbable sutures.

From June 1998 to May 2003,the meniscus tears in 110 patients (78 males, 32 females; aged 14-66 years, averaged 27.5 years) were repaired with absorbable sutures under an arthroscope. In the patients, there were 93 vertical split injuries, 12 transverse split injuries, and 5 hidden split injuries. There were 78 tears in the lateral margin of the meniscus, 23 tears in the anterior angle of the meniscus, and 9 tears in the posterior angle of the meniscus. Ninety-one patients had 2 sutures, 13 patients had 4 sutures, 4 patients had 6 sutures, and 2 patients had 8 sutures. The rehabilitation program was performed in all the patients postoperatively, and the clinical outcome was observed. The Lysholm score was 57 +/- 12 preoperatively.

The follow-up for an average of 26 months (range, 12-67 months) showed that 3 patients had a light pain on exertion in the surgically-treated knee; 1 patient underwent an operation again for recurrence of the symptoms due to a failure in the healing of the meniscus tear, so a second arthroscopic operation was performed; and the other patients had a satisfactory result with an excellent knee function. The Lysholm score was 92 +/- 7 after operation.

The arthroscopic repair of the meniscus tears has advantages of safety and reliability in the suturing and easier to perform. The repaired meniscus can play much better physiological and biomechanical functions, and will not limit the normal movement of the meniscus during the knee flexion after the sutures are absorbed.