Meniscal root tears: a classification system based on tear morphology.

Am J Sports Med

Steadman Philippon Research Institute, Vail, Colorado, USA The Steadman Clinic, Vail, Colorado, USA

Published: February 2015

Background: Meniscal root tears present in many forms and can have profound consequences on the health of knee articular cartilage. While the biomechanics, natural history, and treatment of root tears have been increasingly investigated, the spectrum of meniscal root tear patterns observed during arthroscopic examination has yet to be defined and categorized.

Purpose: To establish a classification system for meniscal root tears by reporting the morphology of meniscal root tears from a consecutive series of arthroscopic surgeries. It was hypothesized that meniscal root tears could be grouped into types by distinct tear patterns and that recognition of tear pattern would affect treatment choice.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: All patients who underwent arthroscopic surgery from April 2010 to May 2014 by a single orthopaedic surgeon were included. After arthroscopic examination, data regarding the integrity of the meniscal roots were prospectively recorded in a data registry. Tear morphology and treatment received were subsequently extracted by 2 independent reviewers from operative notes and arthroscopic surgical photos.

Results: A total of 71 meniscal root tears in 67 patients were grouped into tear types with similar tear morphologies. Meniscal root tear patterns were categorized into partial stable root tears (type 1; n = 5); complete radial tears within 9 mm of the bony root attachment (type 2; n = 48), further subclassified into types 2A, 2B, and 2C, located 0 to <3 mm, 3 to <6 mm, and 6 to 9 mm from the root attachment, respectively; bucket-handle tears with a complete root detachment (type 3; n = 4); complex oblique tears with complete root detachments extending into the root attachment (type 4; n = 7); and bony avulsion fractures of the root attachments (type 5; n = 7).

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that it was possible to establish a concise classification system to group patients with meniscal root tears by tear morphology. Treatments received varied across tear types.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0363546514559684DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

meniscal root
32
root tears
32
tear patterns
12
root
10
meniscal
9
tears
9
classification system
8
tear
8
tear morphology
8
root tear
8

Similar Publications

Background: Evaluating the correlation between degenerative meniscus tears and medial meniscus extrusion is necessary to determine the appropriate treatment plan for early-stage knee osteoarthritis. This study evaluated the relationship between degenerative meniscal tears and medial meniscus extrusion in early-stage knee osteoarthritis by using ultrasonography.

Methods: A total of 132 knees from 123 patients with early-stage knee osteoarthritis were evaluated retrospectively.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: To present rates of reporting bias in systematic reviews and meta-analyses investigating meniscal root repair.

Methods: In this systematic review, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases were queried for studies that investigated meniscal root tears treated with root repair. Included studies were systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses published in peer-reviewed journals in the English language with available full-texts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This Technical Note describes a surgical approach that combines circumferential fiber augmentation with transtibial pullout repair for the treatment of medial meniscal posterior root tears. To address the challenge of meniscal extrusion and subsequent joint space narrowing that predisposes to osteoarthritis, this technique uses an artificial ligament to add circumferential collagen fiber reinforcement to improve meniscal extrusion. This integrated approach is designed to address the limitations of conventional tibial pullout repairs by potentially providing better results in preventing meniscal extrusion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Medial meniscus root tears (MMRTs) are serious injuries that disrupt knee biomechanics, often accelerating cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis when left untreated. These injuries are increasingly recognized as a major cause of knee pain and functional limitations, particularly among middle-aged and older adults. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the outcomes of conservative management compared to surgical intervention for MMRT, focusing on pain relief, functional recovery, and the progression of osteoarthritis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The co-occurrence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture with medial collateral ligament (MCL) rupture is a compound injury that can be associated with meniscal tears.

Purpose: To report the characteristics of meniscal tears in knees with isolated ACL versus combined ACL and MCL injuries, analyzing their frequency, distribution by site, and lesion type.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!