Commentary on an article by M.G. Muriuki, PhD, et al.

Abstract

A medial meniscal tear is a common diagnosis for an orthopaedic surgeon, and a partial meniscectomy is commonly performed to treat these tears. However, because of recent literature supporting increased tibiofemoral contact and increased contact stress after a partial or subtotal meniscectomy1, there has been a heightened interest in repairing meniscal tears. However, the biomechanical effects of complex repairs are poorly understood. Muriuki and colleagues evaluated both a vertically oriented medial meniscus tear that extended to the posterior horn as well as a radial tear that extended only to the peripheral one-third of the meniscus and assessed their subsequent repairs. It is intriguing to note that although the repair potential of inner margin, radial tears is extremely poor and that most orthopaedic surgeons would perform a saucerization of this tear, leaving as much native meniscus as possible, there is little change in the maximum tibiofemoral …