Arthroscopic transtibial pullout repair for posterior meniscus root tears

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Knee Joint Biomechanics

Background:

• Meniscal root tears destabilize the knee joint, leading to pain and accelerated osteoarthritis.
• Anatomic repair aims to restore knee function and prevent further joint degeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and evaluate an anatomic transosseous suture technique for meniscal root avulsions.
• To assess the short-term functional outcomes and osteoarthritis progression following this repair technique.

Main Methods:

• Transosseous suture repair of the meniscal root using a tibial tunnel.
• Indications included traumatic or atraumatic tears without severe degeneration (Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≤2).
• Contraindications included significant malalignment or advanced osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grades III-IV).

Main Results:

• Medial root repair improved functional scores and showed short-term osteoarthritis prevention.
• Complete healing occurred in 60% of patients.
• Negative prognostic factors included varus malalignment >5°, advanced cartilage damage, and older age. Lateral root repair outcomes were encouraging.

Conclusions:

• Transosseous suture repair is a viable option for meniscal root tears, offering functional improvement and potential osteoarthritis prevention.
• Patient selection is critical, considering malalignment and cartilage health.
• Further studies are needed to optimize healing rates and long-term outcomes.