Does the location of placement of meniscal sutures have a clinical effect in the all-inside repair of meniscocapsular tears?

Background: Meniscocapsular separation (MCS) is a lesion of the area which is attached from the peripheral section of the meniscus to the capsule and is seen less often than other meniscus injuries. The aim of this study was to investigate which of the different side applications of all-inside MCS repair of the meniscus was better in respect of clinical and functional results.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 53 patients with MCS pattern in their knee joints were treated with arthroscopic meniscus repair made with the all-inside method. The patients were separated into three groups according to the surface from which the fixation was applied: group 1, from the femoral joint surface of the meniscus (n = 17), group 2, from the tibial joint surface of the meniscus (n = 21) and group 3, from the femoral and tibial joint surfaces of the meniscus (n = 15). The participants were assessed using the subjective International Knee Documentation Committee Scoring (IKDC), Lysholm Knee Scale, Tegner Activity Level Scale, Barrett criteria and Kellgren-Lawrence classification after a 45 ± 12.1 months (range, 24-70 months) follow-up.

Results: Postoperatively, all the groups exhibited significantly increased subjective IKDC score, Lysholm score and Tegner activity score compared with their preoperative results (p < 0.001). At 6 months postoperatively, a statistically significant difference was determined between the groups in respect of the subjective IKDC score, Tegner activity score and Lysholm score with group 2 showing better results than the other groups (p < 0.001). At the final follow-up examination, no statistically significant difference was determined between the groups in respect of the subjective IKDC score, Tegner activity score or Lysholm score. A statistically significantly lower level of pulling and stress sensation was determined in group 2 (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: MCS repair made with the all-inside method is successful clinically and functionally and in respect of MRI findings. In addition, it was seen that the fixation method applied from the tibial surface of the meniscus does not disturb the anatomic position of the meniscus in MCS repair. The tibial joint surface is the most appropriate area for suturation in all-inside repair of MCS.

Level Of Evidence: Level IV.