Meniscectomy vs Meniscal Repair: Comparing Rates of Readmission, Reoperation, and Osteoarthritis

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Biomedical engineering
• Sports medicine

Background:

• The meniscus plays a crucial role in knee joint load transmission, stability, and osteoarthritis (OA) prevention.
• Meniscal repair may offer superior long-term joint health compared to meniscectomy, despite potential increases in reoperation and readmission rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare 90-day readmissions, reoperations, and healthcare utilization for symptomatic OA between patients undergoing meniscal repair and meniscectomy.
• To evaluate the impact of meniscal repair versus meniscectomy on OA treatment needs.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study utilizing the Premier Health Database identified patients undergoing meniscal repair or meniscectomy.
• Propensity score matching was employed to compare 90-day readmission, reoperation, and OA treatment utilization between the two groups.
• Subanalyses were conducted for patient age groups (<40 and ≥40 years).

Main Results:

• Both meniscal repair and meniscectomy had low 90-day readmission rates (1.1% vs 1.9%).
• Patients undergoing meniscal repair were significantly less likely to require reoperation (2.3% vs 4.3%, P < .0001).
• Meniscectomy patients were more likely to receive OA treatment within two years compared to repair patients (9.2% vs 6.7%, P < .0001), a trend consistent across age groups.

Conclusions:

• Meniscal repair and meniscectomy demonstrate comparable 90-day readmission rates.
• Meniscal repair is associated with significantly lower reoperation rates and reduced likelihood of subsequent osteoarthritis treatment compared to meniscectomy.
• These findings suggest that meniscal preservation should be considered for all patients, though further research is needed to refine age-specific recommendations.