Arthroscopic inside-out repair of complete radial tears of the meniscus with a fibrin clot

Abstract

To report on the results of 12 complete radial tears of the meniscus treated using arthroscopic inside-out repair with fibrin clots, the results showed good meniscal healing and excellent clinical outcomes. From 2007 to 2009, 12 patients with complete radial tears of the meniscus were treated by arthroscopic inside-out repair with fibrin clots. In all patients, the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee form and Lysholm score were determined pre- and post-operatively. We performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and if indicated, we performed a second-look arthroscopic examination. At a mean of 30 ± 4 postoperative months, the Lysholm score and IKDC subjective knee score had improved from 65 ± 6 and 57 ± 7 to 94 ± 3 and 92 ± 3, respectively. Eleven of 12 cases showed complete healing on follow-up MRI. Six of 7 patients undergoing a second-look arthroscopic examination had healed completely. This study shows successful meniscal repairs using fibrin clots in complete radial tears. This surgical procedure appears to be a good treatment method for complete radial tear of the meniscus. Case series, level IV.