Management of traumatic meniscus tears: the 2019 ESSKA meniscus consensus

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Knee Surgery

Background:

• Meniscus integrity is vital for preventing early osteoarthritis.
• Meniscus preservation is the primary treatment goal.
• Traumatic meniscus tears require clear management guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish European consensus recommendations for traumatic meniscus tear treatment.
• To integrate scientific evidence with expert clinical experience.
• To guide clinical decision-making in meniscus tear management.

Main Methods:

• A formal consensus process involving three expert groups (steering, rating, peer review).
• Development and evaluation of 27 question-and-answer sets based on scientific literature.
• Rating and iterative refinement of recommendations by knee surgeons and scientists.

Main Results:

• Low scientific quality of existing studies on traumatic meniscus tear treatment.
• Meniscus preservation demonstrated superior long-term clinical and radiological outcomes compared to partial meniscectomy.
• Early surgical repair is recommended when repair is indicated; biological enhancements showed no clear benefit.

Conclusions:

• Meniscus preservation should be the primary treatment strategy.
• Numerous tears previously deemed irreparable should now be considered for repair.
• These recommendations offer a framework for managing traumatic meniscus tears.