Meniscal repair in the young athlete

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Pediatric Orthopedics

Background:

• Meniscal tears are common knee injuries.
• Surgical repair aims to restore meniscal function and prevent osteoarthritis.
• Outcomes in pediatric populations are less studied than in adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and outcomes of arthroscopic meniscal repair in patients aged 17 years or younger.
• To assess clinical healing rates and functional recovery in this specific demographic.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 29 meniscal repairs in 26 patients (≤17 years old) using arthroscopic techniques.
• Clinical follow-up included physical examinations, SF-36 Health Status Survey, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) evaluation, and Lysholm score.
• Average follow-up duration was 5.0 years.

Main Results:

• 100% clinical healing rate with no repeat surgeries for non-healing.
• All patients exhibited full range of motion, no effusion, joint line tenderness, or locking symptoms.
• High functional scores: SF-36 physical functioning (91), role physical (91), and Lysholm score (90).
• 85% of patients achieved Level I activities per IKDC rating.

Conclusions:

• Arthroscopic meniscal repair in young patients (≤17 years) yields excellent clinical healing rates (100%).
• Functional outcomes and return to high-level activities are highly favorable in this age group.
• Results suggest superior healing potential in adolescents compared to adult populations.