Improved tibiofemoral contact restoration after transtibial reinsertion of the anterior root of the lateral meniscus compared to in situ repair: a biomechanical study.

PURPOSE: To compare biomechanical behaviour of the anterior root of the lateral meniscus (ARLM) after a transtibial repair (TTR) and after an in situ repair (ISR), discussing the reasons for the efficacy of the more advantageous technique. METHODS: Eight cadaveric human knees were tested at flexion angles from 0° to 90° in four conditions of their ARLM: intact, detached, reinserted using TTR, and reinserted using ISR. Specimens were subjected to 1000 N of compression, and the contact area (CA), mean pressure (MP), and peak pressure (PP) on the tibial cartilage were computed. For the TTR, traction force on the sutures was registered. RESULTS: ARLM detachment significantly altered contact biomechanics, mainly at shallow flexion. After ISR, differences compared to the healthy group persisted (extension, CA 22% smaller (p = 0.012); at 30°, CA 30% smaller (p = 0.012), MP 21%, and PP 32% higher (both p = 0.017); at 60°, CA 28% smaller (p = 0.012), MP 32%, and PP 49% higher (both p = 0.025). With TTR, alterations significantly decreased compared to the injured group, with no statistical differences from the intact ones observed, except for CA at extension (15% decrease, p = 0.012) and at 30° (12% decrease, p = 0.017). The suture tension after TTR, given as mean(SD), was 36.46(11.75)N, 44.32(11.71)N, 40.38(14.93)N, and 43.18(14.89)N for the four tested flexion angles. CONCLUSIONS: Alterations caused by ARLM detachment were partially restored with both ISR and TTR, with TTR showing better results on recovering CA, MP, and PP in the immediate postoperative period. The tensile force was far below the value reported to cause meniscal cut-out in porcine models.

One-Third of Meniscal Tears Are Repairable: An Epidemiological Study Evaluating Meniscal Tear Patterns in Stable and Unstable Knees.

PURPOSE: To analyze, in a long series of patients with knee injuries, the meniscal tear patterns in both stable and unstable knees to ascertain the exact proportion of such injuries that could have been repaired. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken by reviewing the clinical reports of arthroscopic knee operations carried out in 1 hospital. A total of 2,066 consecutive patients were included in the study. An analysis of clinical and anatomical data of knee lesions, including the shape of the meniscal tears and the surrounding injuries, was performed. RESULTS: Out of all meniscal tears, 34.9% were found to be repairable, a figure that rose to 55.6% in those tears accompanied by anterior cruciate ligament injuries; 37% of meniscal tears in male patients were repairable, and 28% in their female counterparts; 38.2% of medial meniscal tears were repairable and 30.6% in their lateral counterparts. The most frequently encountered injury was the complex tear (46.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Our study concludes that, according to current standard indications, 34.9% of all meniscal injuries offer the potential for repair. Where the injury is also accompanied by anterior cruciate ligament damage, the proportion of repairable tears rises to 55.6%. This information should increase the interest for meniscal preservation in the future. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, case series.

The role of suture cutout in the failure of meniscal root repair during the early post-operative period: a biomechanical study.

PURPOSE: To assess the role of suture cutout in the mechanics of failure of the repaired posterior meniscal root during the early post-operative period when using sutures of different shape. METHODS: Twenty medial porcine menisci were randomized in two groups depending on the suture shape used to repair the posterior root: thread or tape. The sutured menisci were subjected to cyclic loading (1000 cycles, (10, 30) N) followed by load-to-failure testing. Residual displacements, stiffness, and ultimate failure load were determined. During tests, the tissue-suture interface was recorded using a high-resolution camera. RESULTS: In cyclic tests, cutout progression at the suture insertion points was not observed for any specimen of either group and no differences in residual displacements were found between use of thread or tape. In load-to-failure tests, suture cutout started in all menisci at a load close to the ultimate failure and all specimens failed by suture pullout. Suture tape had a greater ultimate load with no other differences. CONCLUSIONS: In a porcine model of a repaired posterior meniscal root subjected to cyclic loads representative of current rehabilitation protocols in the early post-operative period under restricted loading conditions, suture cutout was not found as a main source of permanent root displacement when using suture thread or tape. Suture cutout progression started at high loading levels close to the ultimate load of the construct. Tape, with a meniscus-suture contact area larger than thread, produced higher ultimate load.

Comparative Biomechanical Study on Contact Alterations After Lateral Meniscus Posterior Root Avulsion, Transosseous Reinsertion, and Total Meniscectomy.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of lateral meniscus posterior root avulsion left in situ, its repair, and meniscectomy on contact pressure distribution in both tibiofemoral compartments at different flexion angles. METHODS: Eight cadaveric knees were tested under compressive 1000 N load for 4 lateral meniscus conditions (intact, posterior root avulsion, transosseous root repair, and total meniscectomy) at flexion angles 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°. Contact area and pressure distribution were registered using K-scan pressure sensors inserted between menisci and tibial plateau. RESULTS: In the lateral compartment, root detachment decreased contact area (P = .017, 0° and 30°; P = .012, 60° and 90°) and increased mean (P = .012, all angles) and maximum (P = .025, 0° and 30°; P = .017, 60°; P = .012, 90°) pressures relative to intact condition. Repair restored all measured parameters close to intact at 0°, but effectiveness decreased with flexion angle, yielding no significant effect at 90°. Meniscectomy produced higher decreases than root avulsion in contact area (P = .012, 0° and 90°; P = .05, 30° and 60°) and increases in mean (P = .017, 0° and 30°; P = .018, 90°) and maximum pressure (P = .012, 0°; P = .036, 30°). In the medial compartment, lesion changed the contact area at high flexion angles only, while meniscectomy induced greater changes at all angles. CONCLUSIONS: Lateral meniscus posterior root avulsion generates significant alterations in contact area and pressures at lateral knee compartment for flexion angles between full extension and 90°. Meniscectomy causes greater disorders than the avulsion left in situ. Transosseous repair with a single suture restores these alterations to conditions close to intact at 0° and 30° but not at 60° and 90°. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Altered contact mechanics after lateral meniscus posterior root avulsion might have degenerative consequences. Transosseous repair with one suture should be revised to effectively restore contact mechanics at high flexion angles.

Outcomes after repair of chronic bucket-handle tears of medial meniscus.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the outcomes after repair of chronic bucket-handle medial meniscal tears by use of magnetic resonance imaging, clinical examination, and patient-reported outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients with chronic bucket-handle medial meniscal tears that had been repaired with meniscal sutures was undertaken. The following criteria for inclusion were adopted: minimum tear length of 2 cm and chronic medial meniscal tear identified at the time of arthroscopy. The tears were susceptible to dislocation with probing. Data collected included demographic, clinical, radiologic, and surgical data. Postoperative healing was assessed with the clinical criteria of Barrett et al. The International Knee Documentation Committee rating, Lysholm score, and Tegner activity level were determined, and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging was used to evaluate healing in accordance with the criteria of Henning et al. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean time from injury to surgery was 10 months (range, 2 to 60 months). Sixteen patients underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, 1 patient underwent posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and 6 patients underwent meniscus repair only. A median of 5 sutures (range, 3 to 6 sutures) were used for repair. Four cases (all of which had undergone meniscus repair only) required revision. Complete healing was achieved in 83% of cases according to the criteria of Barrett et al. The mean follow-up time was 48 months (range, 24 to 112 months). An International Knee Documentation Committee rating of A or B was achieved in the 20 patients who did not require revision. The median Lysholm score was 95 (range, 92 to 100). The median Tegner activity level before injury was 7, and it remained unchanged after surgery in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that repair of chronic bucket-handle meniscal tears can lead to good clinical outcomes and a relatively low (17%) failure rate. In addition, repairs of isolated meniscal tears had a significantly higher risk of failure than repairs performed in conjunction with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic case series.

Graft Reorientation and Lateral Extra-articular Tenodesis in Revision Surgery for Persistent Rotational Instability of a Verticalized Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft.

Persistent rotational instability after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a relatively common postoperative complication, typically associated with graft verticalization due to improper femoral tunnel placement, especially with classic transtibial femoral tunnel techniques. This article describes a technique designed to reorient a verticalized anterior cruciate ligament graft at its femoral insertion to a more anatomic position in the coronal and sagittal planes, aiming to restore knee stability without the need for a complete revision operation. Additionally, a lateral extra-articular tenodesis with fascia lata is added to reinforce rotational stability.

The Proportion of Meniscus Tears Considered Repairable, and Thus Repaired, Increased During a Single Surgeon's Practice of 20 Years.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate practice patterns of a single surgeon with respect to meniscectomy and meniscal repair over a 20-year period at a single institution. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out by reviewing the surgical data from the past 20 years (2002-2021) of patients who underwent arthroscopic primary meniscal surgery. Age, sex, knee and meniscus affected, morphology of the meniscal tear, meniscal radial location, location on the axial plane, tissue quality, and associated injuries were recorded. An analysis of the evolution of the characteristics of the meniscal lesions was performed according to the presence of degenerative tissue, the repairability of the lesion, and the treatment performed. Categorical data were represented in contingency tables and compared using the χ2 test for significance of differences, which was set at P < .05. Results: In total, 1,892 cases were included. A decrease in degenerative meniscal tears was found, from 63.2 in 2002 to 2006 to 9.7% in 2017 to 2021 (P < .001), while repairable tears increased from 1.6% to 82.3% P < .001); in the same periods, arthroscopic partial meniscectomy procedures declined from 75.7% to 17.7% (P < .001) while meniscal repair increased from 0.4% to 81.3% (P < .001). All types of tears increased significantly their repairability, although longitudinal tears, root tears, and ramp lesions showed the highest possibilities for repair. Conclusions: In the present study, a drastic change in the attitude toward meniscal preservation in the past 20 years was observed, with a large increase in the proportion of tears considered repairable found in primary arthroscopic surgery (to 80% of cases) and a decrease in degenerative meniscus tears (to less than 10%). Clinical Relevance: In the past 2 decades, arthroscopic knee surgery has evolved such that more meniscus tears are deemed repairable, and fewer tears considered degenerative are indicated for arthroscopy.

Arthroscopic Superior Capsular Reconstruction with Achilles Tendon Allograft for Massive and Revision Rotator Cuff Tears.

Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears (RCT) in younger and active patients remain a significant clinical challenge to orthopaedic surgeons. Superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) has been presented as a way to restore the restraining effect of the superior joint capsule and the balanced force couples necessary for dynamic shoulder function; furthermore, it does not exclude future treatment options. The purpose of this article is to show a technical modification of the SCR in massive and revision RCT using Achilles tendon allograft as an effective static restraint to prevent superior migration of the humeral head due to its thickness and robustness, and performing a side-to-side repair on the greater tuberosity between the graft and the residual infraspinatus tendon to completely restore the superior stability of the shoulder joint.

Biomechanical consequences of anterior root detachment of the lateral meniscus and its reinsertion.

Treatment of posterior meniscal roots tears evolved after biomechanical evidence of increased pressures on the tibiofemoral cartilage produced by this lesion and the subsequent accelerated development of arthritis or osteonecrosis observed clinically. However, little is known about the consequences of the detachment of the anterior roots. This in-vitro study analyzes the biomechanical changes in the tibiofemoral joint caused by avulsion of the anterior root of the lateral meniscus. The effectiveness of surgical root re-insertion to restore the pre-injured conditions is also evaluated. Using cadaveric knees at flexion angles from 0° to 90°, results show that the lesion significantly reduces the contact area and raises the pressure on the tibiofemoral cartilage of the injured compartment at all angles. Said modifications become larger at low flexion angles, which are the most frequent positions adopted by the knee in daily and sports activities, where they result similar to total meniscectomy. In-situ repair partially restores the contact biomechanics. Consequently, careful attention should be paid to proper diagnosis and treatment of detached anterior roots since the observed altered knee contact might induce similar degenerative problems in the cartilage as with completely detached posterior roots.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Revision Surgery Associated to Lateral Collateral and Anterolateral Ligaments Reconstruction With Single Achilles Tendon Allograft and Single Femoral Tunnel.

Lateral collateral ligament (LC) injuries that go unnoticed when associated with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear can increase stress forces on the ACL graft causing its failure. Furthermore, it is a main stabilizer to varus stress and external rotation. On the other hand, the reinforcement of anterolateral structures during ACL reconstruction has regained popularity in recent years, because evidence has shown that it increases the control of rotational laxity and decreases ACL graft failures, especially in revision surgery. The present article shows a technique to perform an ACL reconstruction, associated with the reconstruction of the LCL and of the anterolateral ligament using a single Achilles tendon allograft, which is split after the fixation of the ACL graft into two fascicles.

Anterior Capsular Reconstruction With Proximal Biceps Tendon for Large to Massive Rotator Cuff Tears.

Massive rotator cuff tears (RCT) have traditionally been a challenging clinical problem for shoulder surgeons. A broad variety of treatment options have been proposed to address this problem, but outcomes have been as variable as the techniques themselves. Superior capsular reconstruction has been presented as a way to restore the restraining effect of the superior joint capsule and balanced force couples in massive tears of the superior rotator cuff. The purpose of this article is to propose a technical modification of the superior capsular reconstruction in large to massive RCT, and, especially in anterior L-shaped RCT, using the long head of the biceps tendon autograft to reinforce the weakest area of the anterior capsule, not as an augmentation of the rotator cuff, but as a static stabilizer of the humeral head, allowing the rotator cuff repair to heal without tension.

Obesity and Meniscal Transplant Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of obesity and other clinical factors on the outcome of meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) with transosseous fixation. A retrospective cohort study was performed on patients who underwent a MAT between 2002 and 2017. All the participants had a minimum follow-up period of 24 months. The variables assessed were age at the time of the transplant, side, sex, transplanted meniscus (lateral/medial), body mass index (BMI), smoking status, and previous surgeries. Lysholm, Tegner, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) test outcomes, and patient satisfaction were recorded. Image assessment was performed using plain standing X-rays and a follow-up magnetic resonance imaging scan. Thirty-five patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean follow-up time was of 75.7 standard deviation (SD) 43.4 months. Patients with a BMI ≥ 30 underwent medial meniscal transplants (88.9 vs. 42.3%, p = 0.022, respectively) more frequently. Obese patients had a significantly lower IKDC (48.6 SD 19.9 vs. 61.7 SD 13.1, p = 0.038, power: 57.5%) and Lysholm (60.3 SD 19.2 vs. 79.4 SD 14.3, p = 0.004, power: 88.7%) scores compared with nonobese patients. The satisfaction and Tegner scores were also lower in obese patients (55.6 vs. 80.7%, p = 0.136, and 2.8 SD 1.0 vs. 4.0 SD 1.9, p = 0.104, respectively); however, these differences were not statistically significant. Obese patients had higher rates of meniscal transplant failure compared with nonobese patients (adjusted hazard ratio: 11.8 [95% confidence interval: 1.5-91.4]). No differences were observed between obese and nonobese patients regarding age, sex, side, smoking status, and follow-up time. In this study, a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 resulted in higher MAT failure rates. Nonobese patients had better knee functional results compared with obese individuals.

Augmentation technique for partial ACL ruptures using semitendinosus tendon in the over-the-top position.

The aim of this study is to present a surgical augmentation technique for partial ACL ruptures in which an isolated, autologous, double-bundle semitendinosus tendon graft is passed over the top of the femur, thus fully preserving the still-intact fibers of the ligament remnant. Between 1992 and 2006, 24 patients underwent ACL semitendinosus autograft reconstruction and were followed up for at least 2 years. The median follow-up was 6.2 years (2-15.6). At the last follow-up examination, the patients were evaluated using the International Knee Documentation Committee scale. Subjective and functional parameters were assessed using the Tegner activity scale and the Lysholm scale. Instrumental evaluation was carried out using the KT-1000 instrument. Sixteen of the 24 patients achieved an IKDC score of A. Of the remaining eight patients, six achieved an IKDC score of B, one an IKDC score of C, and one an IKDC score of D. According to the Tegner activity scale, the median pre-injury sports activity level was seven (5-9) and the median post-injury level was six (4-9), while the mean Lysholm scale score was 95 (90-100). Clinical and biomechanical studies have shown that reconstruction techniques that address both bundles of the ACL provide better rotational stability than techniques that address only a single bundle. Therefore, it seems logical than in patients with a partial rupture of the ACL, the intact bundle could be preserved and only the torn bundle would need to be reconstructed.

The Finochietto Sign as a Pathognomonic Finding of Ramp Lesion of the Medial Meniscus.

Ramp lesions are considered hidden injuries of the medial meniscus and are very difficult to diagnose. The Finochietto jump sign is a very specific finding that could be considered pathognomonic regarding ramp lesions. This sign consists of a sudden jerk that appears when the free edge of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus is dislocated anteriorly due to the medial condyle interposition when an anterior drawer test is performed on a knee with a ramp lesion, especially when it is associated with an anterior cruciate ligament tear. In this technical note, the Finochietto sign is described clinically, is correlated with its exploration under anesthesia, and is described for the first time under arthroscopic examination in the case of a ramp lesion, in which this finding can help to the diagnosis when present, especially when associated with anterior cruciate ligament tears.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Combined Graft of Hamstring and Fascia Lata With Extra-articular Tenodesis. A Technique in Case of Insufficient Hamstrings.

A technique for augmentation of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) with hamstring graft and lateral extra-articular tenodesis is presented. The patient is positioned supine with the knee flexed 90°. First, intra-articular injuries are addressed arthroscopically, and then autologous hamstring tendons are harvested and measured; the present technique is a resource for cases with a very small graft diameter (less than 8 mm), due to thin tendons or to tendon breakage, even after tripling the hamstring graft, which is prepared using a facia lata strip long enough to fit the lengths of the femoral tunnel, the anterior cruciate ligament graft, and the tibial tunnel. A single femoral tunnel is performed and only 2 interference screws are needed for fixation.

Assessment of fixation for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using oversized suspensory devices on full-length femoral tunnels.

BACKGROUND: In ACL repair, full-length single-diameter tunnels facilitate anatomic femoral fixation with suspensory devices, especially with outside-in techniques, and are required after accidental cortical perforation. With tunnel diameters over 6 mm, fixation resistance using regular suspensory devices may not suffice. Oversized cortical footprint devices could be a solution to guarantee fixation performance in larger tunnel diameters. This study aims to assess the biomechanical properties of ACL femoral fixation provided by two enlarged suspensory devices of similar characteristics, a fixed loop (G-Lok™ with G-Lok-XL™) and an adjustable loop (ProCinch™ with G-Lok-XL™), resting on a full-length 9 mm diameter tunnel compared to the widely accepted regular fixed-loop device (G-Lok™) on a socket tunnel. METHODS: Twenty-seven fresh frozen porcine femurs and flexor digitorum profundus tendons were randomly assigned to a study group depending on the fixation method used (N = 9). Graft-femur constructs were subjected to a traction cyclic test (5000 cycles, [50-250]N load, 1 Hz) followed by a load-to-failure test (v = 1 mm/s). Residual displacement during the cyclic test and stiffness, displacements at physiological loads, ultimate load and corresponding displacement during the load-to-failure test were determined. FINDINGS: No significant differences could be established for any parameter measured in the comparison between the control with the socket tunnel and the oversized fixations with full-length tunnels. INTERPRETATION: ACL femoral fixation achieved in full-length single diameter tunnels by using an enlarged suspension device, both with a fixed or an adjustable loop, provide similar biomechanical properties to the gold-standard fixed-loop device in a socket tunnel. Therefore, its clinical use may be safe.

Physeal Sparing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Skeletally Immature Patients Bridging the Tibial Physis With Two Divergent Tunnels.

A technique for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in patients with open physis is presented. The patient is positioned supine with the knee flexed 90°. After intraarticular injuries are addressed, an autologous hamstring graft is harvested and prepared using a suspension device attached in its expansion device. All-epiphyseal femoral and tibial tunnels of the same diameter of the graft are created; both of them are drilled in an outside-in direction, sparing the physis under radioscopic control. A second divergent tibial tunnel of the same diameter of the graft, distal to the physis, is created in an outside-in, mediolateral, and craniocaudal direction, leaving a 1-cm bone bridge between the 2 tibial tunnels. The graft is passed through the all-epiphyseal tunnels, from femoral to tibial, and pulled until the suspension device leans on the lateral femoral cortex. The graft is passed through the second divergent tibial tunnel and fixed in it with an interference screw to move the pressure away from the physis.

Initial Biomechanical Properties of Transtibial Meniscal Root Repair are Improved By Using a Knotless Anchor as a Post-Insertion Tensioning Device.

The importance of meniscal root integrity to preserve contact load distribution and stability at the knee joint is recognised. Transosseous suture technique is commonly used to repair meniscal root tears. However, clinical results are not completely satisfactory. Specifically, concern exists about the development of substantial displacements at the repaired root. This study aims to assess if the use of a post-insertion tensioning knotless-anchor at the distal exit of the tibial tunnel improves time-zero biomechanical properties of the transtibial repair compared to knotting sutures over a cortical button. Twenty porcine tibia with detached posterior medial meniscal roots were randomized into two groups depending on the method to fix the sutures after root repair: knotless-anchor (KA) or suture-button (SB). Specimens underwent cyclic and load-to-failure testing. Group KA showed significantly smaller residual root displacements after low-level repetitive loads. At the load-to-failure test, Group KA exhibited significantly lower displacements at representative subcritical loads and higher resistance to development of clinically relevant displacements. The authors conclude that use of a knotless suture anchor attached at the distal outlet of the bone tunnel may be an effective solution to reduce root displacements in transtibial meniscal root repairs, a matter reported to alter biomechanics of joint contact.

Anatomic double-bundle ACL reconstruction with femoral cortical bone bridge support using hamstrings.

While ACL reconstruction using single-tunnel and single-bundle techniques generally yields good clinical results, more and more studies are now reporting results that are not entirely satisfactory, as this type of reconstruction only exerts control over forward tibial shifting, not tibial rotation, when activities that exert high functional demands are undertaken. As a result, recent years have seen the appearance of numerous techniques for anatomic ACL reconstruction that reproduce both the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles of the ligament and therefore offer potentially improved rotational control. This article outlines a technique for anatomic ACL reconstruction. Said technique uses central and anteromedial portals, which afford a better perspective of the intercondylar notch. The main features of this technique are: (1) Double bone tunnels in the femur and tibia. The femoral tunnels are created using the out-in technique. (2) Double bundles with hamstring tendon grafts. (3) Tibial fixation by means of interference screws. (4) Femoral fixation in which the graft is supported by a cortical bone bridge and an interference screw in one of the tunnels. We feel that the main advantage of this technique is precisely that it introduces a new feature (a cortical femoral bone bridge) and is not necessarily dependent on specific double-bundle instrumentation, using only regular drill guides to create out-in femoral tunnels. This enables said tunnels to be located with ease and precision. The femoral fixation model itself, with the support provided by the cortical bone bridge, potentially guarantees a level of resistance that can be further increased with the aid of one or two interference screws, thus avoiding the need for post fixation techniques that require the use of screws or buttons.

Non anatomic reinsertion after amputation of the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus.

Anatomical reinsertion is the optimal treatment for meniscal root injuries. However, in chronic settings, tissue fraying of the meniscal root may impede it. This study describes a salvage technical procedure performed in 3 cases of chronic anterior root avulsion of the lateral meniscus with profuse tissue degeneration in which remnant debridement resulted in amputation of the root. Reinsertion of the meniscus at the remaining healthy tissue was performed using an all-inside anchoring technique.