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Published on: December 3, 2017
Failure of arthroscopic meniscal repair following septic arthritis
S Myerthall1, D J Ogilvie-Harris
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract:
Three cases are described in which failure of arthroscopic meniscal repair performed with an inside-out technique occurred following postoperative septic arthritis. Confirmation of septic arthritis was made by bacterial culture of joint fluid aspirates. The treatment consisted of arthroscopic lavage and intravenous antibiotics. In all cases, diagnostic arthroscopy at the time of lavage showed an intact repair site. However, further follow-up arthroscopy revealed disruption at the repair site with no signs of healing.
Insights
Septic arthritis can compromise arthroscopic meniscal repair, even when the repair site initially appears intact. This complication leads to repair failure and lack of healing in affected knee joints.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Sports Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Arthroscopic inside-out meniscal repair is a common surgical technique.
- Postoperative septic arthritis is a rare but serious complication following knee arthroscopy.
Observation:
- Three cases of arthroscopic meniscal repair failure after septic arthritis are presented.
- Septic arthritis was confirmed by bacterial culture of joint fluid aspirates.
Findings:
- Initial arthroscopy during septic arthritis treatment showed intact meniscal repair sites.
- Subsequent arthroscopy revealed disruption and non-healing at the repair site in all cases.
Implications:
- Septic arthritis poses a significant risk to the integrity of arthroscopic meniscal repairs.
- This highlights the importance of prompt diagnosis and management of postoperative infections to preserve meniscal repair outcomes.
