[Case-control study on the effect of meniscus shaping on knee function after anterior cruciate ligament...

To observe the effect of the meniscus shaping on the knee function and stability after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction(ACLR).

A total of 64 ACLR patients were included from January 2013 to January 2015. The control group was the ACLR patients with intact meniscus, in which 24 males and 6 females. The mean age was(32.8±5.5) years old(ranged, 22 to 43 years old). The injury side was left on 17 cases and right on 13 cases. The mean follow-up time was(15.2±2.8) months(ranged, 12 to 19 months). The shaping group was the ACLR patients with meniscus shaping, in which 27 males and 7 females. The mean age was (33.1±4.2) years old (ranged, 23 to 42 years old). The injury side was on the left in 22 case and right in 12 cases. The mean follow-up time was (16.0±3.1) months (ranged, 12 to 20 months). The preoperative anterior tibia shift and knee joint function, as well as anterior tibia shift, knee joint function and active proprioception at last follow-up time were observed. The anterior tibia shift was measured by KT-1000. The knee joint function was assessed by Lysholm score and KOOS score. The errors of active proprioception were measured at 30°, 45° and 60° knee flexion.

Postoperative anterior tibia shift of the affected side was (1.4±0.2) mm, which was lower than (2.2±0.4) mm in shaping group(P<0.05). The postoperative total Lysholm scores of the control group and the shaping group were 93.7±2.7 and 92.3±3.0 respectively, which were higher than 52.8±3.9 and 51.6±5.1 preoperatively(P<0.05), but there were no significant differences between two groups(P>0.05). In the KOOS score, the postoperative symptoms, pain, daily life, exercise capacity and life quality in control group were 90.7±5.5, 93.2±4.3, 96.8±2.2, 90.9±5.3, 91.8±4.5 respectively, which were higher than 72.7±6.0, 70.6±7.3, 72.5±7.4, 52.8±5.4, 36.2±6.5 preoperatively(P<0.05); the postoperative symptoms, pain, daily life, exercise capacity and life quality in the shaping group were 88.9±5.8, 92.6±3.5, 96.5±2.1, 89.3±7.2, 90.6±4.1 respectively, which were higher than 71.9±5.1, 71.2±7.1, 71.3±6.2, 53.1±6.1, 35.6±4.7 preoperatively(P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in each postoperative item of KOOS between the two groups(P>0.05). No significant differences were observed in the postoperative active proprioception error of contralateral side between the control group(12.2±3.4)°and shaping group(12.8±3.2)°(P>0.05). The error of active proprioception in the affacted side of the control group was(13.5±3.7)°, which was lower than that in the shaping group(17.1±4.2)°(P<0.05). In control group, there was no significant difference in the active proprioception error between two sides(P>0.05). While in shaping group, the error of active proprioception in the affacted side was significantly greater than that in the contralateral side(P<0.05).

In short and medium term, meniscus shaping has no effect on knee joint function in patients with ACLR, but it impairs the knee proprioception and stability.