Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 18, 2026
05:44
Author Spotlight: Double Posteromedial Approach for Treating Posterior Cruciate Ligament Cysts
Published on: October 20, 2023
1.3K
Comparative Outcomes of Arthroscopic Versus Open Meniscus Repair: An Observational Study
Aamir Shahzad1, Hasnain Chohan2, Ismail Pandor3
1Department of Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery, Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom.
Journal of Orthopaedic Case Reports
|January 16, 2026
Summary
Open meniscus repair showed lower failure and revision rates than arthroscopic repair, but with higher risks of knee osteoarthritis progression and venous thromboembolism. This highlights trade-offs in surgical approach for meniscal tears.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Sports Medicine
- Biomedical Data Science
Background:
- Meniscal tears are common knee injuries requiring surgical intervention.
- Arthroscopic meniscus repair is prevalent, but long-term outcomes versus open repair are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare clinical outcomes of arthroscopic versus open meniscus repair.
- To evaluate meniscal failure, revision surgery, osteoarthritis progression, and venous thromboembolism rates.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort analysis of adult patients (2010-2025) using the TriNetX network.
- Propensity score matching (1:1) of 17,925 patients in each surgical approach group (open vs. arthroscopic).
- Outcomes assessed within two years post-surgery.
Main Results:
- Open repair had significantly lower meniscal failure (16.2% vs. 51.4%) and revision surgery rates (1.0% vs. 3.4%) compared to arthroscopic repair.
- Arthroscopic repair showed a trend towards lower knee osteoarthritis progression (4.9% vs. 6.1%) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) (1.4% vs. 1.9%).
Conclusions:
- Open meniscus repair offers superior durability regarding meniscal integrity and revision rates.
- Open repair is associated with a slightly increased risk of knee osteoarthritis progression and VTE.
- Shared decision-making should consider durability versus complication profiles; further prospective studies are needed.
