Meniscal repair versus partial meniscectomy: a systematic review comparing reoperation rates and clinical outcomes

Paxton ES, Stock MV, Brophy RH · Arthroscopy

Reoperation was needed in 1.4% (2 of 143) of partial meniscectomies at short-term follow-up and 3.9% (52 of 1,319) at long term, against 16.5% (47 of 284) and 20.7% (30 of 145) after isolated repair. Repairs done alongside anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction failed less often than isolated repairs, and medial repairs failed more often than lateral. In the few studies reporting long-term scores, repair carried higher Lysholm scores and less radiological degeneration.

Population

Outcome studies of arthroscopic meniscal repair or partial meniscectomy in patients with traumatic meniscal tears and no previous injury or operation

Intervention

Meniscal repair by inside-out, outside-in or all-inside technique

Comparator

Partial meniscectomy

Limitations

Level IV systematic review of level I to IV studies, and the two operations are not done on the same tears — a repairable tear is usually peripheral, vertical and in a younger knee. The trade it documents is real and the size of it is not attributable to the procedure alone. Full text was not retrievable.