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Long-term outcome after all-inside meniscal repair using the RapidLoc system
Eirik Solheim1,2,3, Janne Hegna4, Eivind Inderhaug5,6
1Teres Bergen, Bergen, Norway. eirik.solheim@uib.no.
Summary
Long-term outcomes of meniscal repair using RapidLoc implants show a high failure rate, with many re-ruptures occurring years after the initial surgery. This suggests the all-inside technique may not provide lasting solutions for meniscus tears.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Sports Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Meniscal tears are common knee injuries.
- Surgical repair aims to restore meniscus function.
- All-inside techniques offer minimally invasive options.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term outcomes (≥7 years) of meniscal repair using the RapidLoc (suture anchor) system.
- To determine the failure rate of RapidLoc meniscal repair over time.
- To test the hypothesis that most repaired menisci remain intact long-term.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 82 patients with repairable vertical longitudinal meniscus tears from 2002-2007.
- Tears were treated with rasping and RapidLoc implant fixation.
- Follow-up was conducted at a median of 10 years (range 7-12 years) to register subsequent knee surgeries on the same meniscus.
Main Results:
- A high failure rate of 48% (39/82 patients) was observed.
- Failure rates were 11% at 6 months, 23% at 12 months, and 28% at 2 years.
- Crucially, one-third of failures occurred 2 or more years post-initial repair.
Conclusions:
- Meniscal repair with RapidLoc implants demonstrates poor long-term results and a high failure rate.
- Re-ruptures frequently occur several years after the index surgery, often undetected by shorter follow-up periods.
- All-inside meniscal repair techniques may not be a durable solution for meniscus tears.
