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Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics Jul 2024The discoid meniscus (DM) is distinguished by its thickened, disc-shaped formation, which extends over the tibial plateau. The likelihood of developing osteoarthritis... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
The discoid meniscus (DM) is distinguished by its thickened, disc-shaped formation, which extends over the tibial plateau. The likelihood of developing osteoarthritis escalates if a DM tear remains undiagnosed and untreated. While DM tears can be diagnosed through arthroscopy, the high cost, invasive nature and limited availability of this procedure highlight the need for a better diagnostic modality. This study aims to determine the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing DM tears.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted to gather articles with at least 10 cases on the comparison of MRI and arthroscopy as the gold standard for DM tear diagnosis. Stata and MetaDisc were used to conduct the statistical analysis. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool.
RESULTS
Five diagnostic performance studies, derived from four original research papers involving 305 patients, were evaluated. Based on the pooled data, the sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio, positive limit of detection and negative limit of detection were found to be 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82-0.91) and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.75-0.90), 32.88 (95% CI, 5.81-186.02), 5.22 (95% CI, 1.71-15.92) and 0.18 (95% CI, 0.09-0.38), respectively. A hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve with an area under the curve of 0.92 was generated.
CONCLUSION
This meta-analysis demonstrates that MRI has excellent sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing DM tears. Despite its lower accuracy compared to arthroscopy, MRI can be used in symptomatic patients as a viable alternative to arthroscopy due to its inherent advantages.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Level IV.
PubMed: 38899047
DOI: 10.1002/jeo2.12051 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024This study delves into the cutting-edge field of deep learning techniques, particularly deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs), which have demonstrated unprecedented... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
This study delves into the cutting-edge field of deep learning techniques, particularly deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs), which have demonstrated unprecedented potential in assisting radiologists and orthopedic surgeons in precisely identifying meniscal tears. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of deep learning models in recognizing, localizing, describing, and categorizing meniscal tears in magnetic resonance images (MRIs).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This systematic review was rigorously conducted, strictly following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Extensive searches were conducted on MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. All identified articles underwent a comprehensive risk of bias analysis. Predictive performance values were either extracted or calculated for quantitative analysis, including sensitivity and specificity. The meta-analysis was performed for all prediction models that identified the presence and location of meniscus tears.
RESULTS
This study's findings underscore that a range of deep learning models exhibit robust performance in detecting and classifying meniscal tears, in one case surpassing the expertise of musculoskeletal radiologists. Most studies in this review concentrated on identifying tears in the medial or lateral meniscus and even precisely locating tears-whether in the anterior or posterior horn-with exceptional accuracy, as demonstrated by AUC values ranging from 0.83 to 0.94.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on these findings, deep learning models have showcased significant potential in analyzing knee MR images by learning intricate details within images. They offer precise outcomes across diverse tasks, including segmenting specific anatomical structures and identifying pathological regions. Contributions: This study focused exclusively on DL models for identifying and localizing meniscus tears. It presents a meta-analysis that includes eight studies for detecting the presence of a torn meniscus and a meta-analysis of three studies with low heterogeneity that localize and classify the menisci. Another novelty is the analysis of arthroscopic surgery as ground truth. The quality of the studies was assessed against the CLAIM checklist, and the risk of bias was determined using the QUADAS-2 tool.
PubMed: 38893617
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14111090 -
Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics Jul 2024to provide a comprehensive overview of all the surgical techniques published in the literature for repairing meniscal ramp lesions focusing on the technical aspects and... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
to provide a comprehensive overview of all the surgical techniques published in the literature for repairing meniscal ramp lesions focusing on the technical aspects and the pros and cons of every procedure. Such lesions can be managed using various approaches, each of this with its specific advantages and disadvantages.
METHODS
Pubmed Central, Scopus, and EMBASE databases were systematically reviewed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines for studies on surgical techniques for repairing meniscal ramp lesions through May 2023. Overall, 32 articles matched the selection criteria and were included in the study.
RESULTS
Debridement alone may be sufficient for small stable meniscal ramp lesions but, for tears in the menisco-capsular junction that affect the stability of the medial meniscus, it seems reasonable to repair it, even though the clinical results available in literature are contrasting. All-inside sutures through anterior portals seems to be an effective solution for meniscal ramp lesions with MTL tears. All-inside sutures through posteromedial portals are particularly useful for large meniscal ramp lesions, in which an inside-out suture can also be performed.
CONCLUSION
Meniscal ramp lesions can be managed using various approaches, each of this with its specific advantages and disadvantages. Further research is required to determine the optimal technique that can be considered as the gold standard and can provide the better results.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Level III, systematic review.
PubMed: 38887657
DOI: 10.1002/jeo2.12037 -
Arthroscopy : the Journal of... Jun 2024To systematically review the literature regarding the biomechanical properties of different repair techniques and fixation methods for vertically oriented meniscal tears. (Review)
Review
Neither All-Inside, nor Inside-Out, nor Outside-In Repair Demonstrates Superior Biomechanical Properties for Vertical Meniscal Tears: A Systematic Review of Human Cadaveric Studies.
PURPOSE
To systematically review the literature regarding the biomechanical properties of different repair techniques and fixation methods for vertically oriented meniscal tears.
METHODS
Human cadaveric studies evaluating the biomechanical properties of different repair techniques for vertically oriented meniscal tears were identified using the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health databases. Primary outcomes included load to failure, displacement, stiffness, peak contact pressure, and contact area of repaired menisci. Repair techniques from included studies were reclassified into a total of 19 distinct all-inside (AI), inside-out (IO), or outside-in (OI) techniques.
RESULTS
Sixteen studies were included (420 total menisci). Contact pressure and area were restored to intact-state values across all 5 compressive load studies at low knee flexion angles but not at greater knee flexion angles (i.e., >60°). There were no significant differences in contact pressure or area between AI, IO, and OI techniques across all studies. Some studies demonstrated statistically significant advantages in tensile properties with IO techniques when compared with AI techniques, whereas others found AI techniques to be superior. No studies directly compared tensile properties of OI techniques with those of AI or IO techniques. Vertical mattress suture configurations resulted in significantly greater load to failure and decreased displacement compared with horizontal mattress configurations in 67% of studies comparing the 2 techniques. There was no difference in the rate of tissue failure in AI (66.97%), IO (60.38%), or OI (66.67%, χ = 0.83, P = .66) techniques.
CONCLUSIONS
Contact mechanics are reliably restored after repair of vertical meniscal tears at low flexion angles but inconsistently restored at greater flexion angles, regardless of technique. Vertical mattress configurations outperformed horizontal mattress configurations under tensile load. There are conflicting data regarding the comparison of tensile properties between AI and IO techniques. Ultimately, neither AI, IO, nor OI repair demonstrated superior biomechanical properties in the present literature.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Several repair techniques demonstrate favorable biomechanical properties for vertical meniscal tears under tensile and compressive loads. Neither AI, IO, nor OI repair techniques demonstrate superior biomechanical properties at this time.
PubMed: 38880182
DOI: 10.1016/j.arthro.2024.03.049 -
Indian Journal of Orthopaedics Jun 2024This study aimed to reach a consensus for ideal surgical treatment of discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) and to evaluate its long term surgical and radiological outcome. (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This study aimed to reach a consensus for ideal surgical treatment of discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) and to evaluate its long term surgical and radiological outcome.
METHODS
All authors independently searched for peer reviewed publications with keywords like discoid lateral meniscus, tibial menisci abnormalities, tibial menisci surgery and clinical outcome and their representative Medical Subjects Headings (MeSH) in databases of PubMed, EBSCO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, from inception to December 2022. Original articles in English language on discoid lateral meniscus reporting clinical, surgical, or radiological outcomes with five or more years of follow-up were included in this systematic review. Study details and outcome data were analysed according to the age, follow-up period, kind of surgery, DLM type, and alignment.
RESULTS
Our search strategy yielded 654 articles in PubMed, 222 articles in EBSCO and 5 articles in CENTRAL i.e. a total of 881 articles. After detailed assessment and screening, 12 articles were included in the final analysis, which included 444 DLM cases. The mean patient age at surgery ranged from 9.9 to 35.9 years, and the mean follow-up period ranged from 5.2 to 16 years. Partial meniscectomy and meniscoplasty are the recommended treatment because of the concerns of degenerative arthritis development after the total and subtotal meniscectomies. Two studies have documented better results with meniscal allograft transplantation.
CONCLUSION
Satisfactory clinico-radiological outcome can be obtained after surgical treatment of discoid lateral meniscus with meniscus reshaping and repair of peripheral unstable part. Meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) is gaining popularity in patients with total meniscectomy with satisfactory long term functional outcome.
PubMed: 38812876
DOI: 10.1007/s43465-024-01137-z -
Life (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024Smoking is a well-known cause of impairment in wound healing and postoperative outcomes; however, its effects on treating meniscus issues remain unclear. This study... (Review)
Review
Smoking is a well-known cause of impairment in wound healing and postoperative outcomes; however, its effects on treating meniscus issues remain unclear. This study assesses the relationship between smoking and meniscus treatment outcomes. PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and CINAHL were searched from inception to 24 December 2023. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies examining smoking's impact on patient outcomes regarding meniscus pathology. A secondary PubMed search targeted randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the top ten orthopedic journals focusing on meniscus pathology and smoking as a demographic variable. Meta-analysis of six studies ( = 528) assessed meniscus failure rate based on smoking status. Eighteen observational studies ( = 8353 patients; 53.25% male; mean age: 51.35 ± 11.53 years; follow-up: 184.11 ± 117.34 months) were analyzed, covering meniscus repair, meniscectomy, allograft transplant, conservative care, and arthroscopy. Results showed four studies (36.36%) linked smoking with worse meniscus repair outcomes, while seven studies (63.64%) did not find significant associations. Meta-analysis from six studies showed no significant impact of smoking on repair failure ( = 0.118). Regarding meniscectomy, one study (33.33%) identified a significant association with smoking, but two did not. Only one (3.8%) of the RCTs in leading orthopedic journals included smoking as a factor. The evidence on smoking's effect on meniscus treatment is mixed, necessitating further investigation.
PubMed: 38792605
DOI: 10.3390/life14050584 -
Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024(1) Background: Bone bruises in acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are closely linked to the occurrence of simultaneous meniscal and cartilage damage.... (Review)
Review
(1) Background: Bone bruises in acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are closely linked to the occurrence of simultaneous meniscal and cartilage damage. Despite the frequent occurrence of associated injuries including bone bruises, meniscus, and cartilage damage in patients with ACL injuries, a systematic review of the relationships between the presence of bone bruises and the extent of meniscus and cartilage injuries has yet to be conducted. (2) Methods: Multiple comprehensive databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library, were searched for studies that evaluated the relationship between bone bruises and meniscus or cartilage injuries following ACL injuries. Study selection, data extraction, and meta-analysis were performed. The Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) was used for quality assessments, and Review Manager 5.3 was used for data analysis. (3) Results: Data were extracted from 22 studies encompassing a total of 2891 patients with ACL injuries. Among the included studies, six studies investigated the relationships between bone bruises and medial meniscus (MM) or lateral meniscus (LM) injuries, while three studies investigated the relationships between bone bruises and cartilage injuries. There were no significant correlations between the presence of bone bruises and MM injuries (relative risk (RR) = 1.32; = 0.61). A quantitative analysis indicated that individuals with bone bruises had a 2.71-fold higher likelihood of sustaining LM injuries than those without bone bruises (RR = 2.71; = 0.0003). The analysis confirmed a significant relationship between bone bruises and cartilage injuries (RR = 6.18; = 0.003). (4) Conclusions: Bone bruises occur most frequently in the lateral compartment. Bone bruises resulting from ACL injuries are related to accompanying LM injuries and cartilage injuries. Knowing these associations and the frequency of injuries may allow orthopedic surgeons to promptly address ACL-related meniscus and cartilage injuries on MRI results and in future clinical practice.
PubMed: 38790382
DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11050515 -
Arthroscopy : the Journal of... May 2024To systematically review the available literature in patients with discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) with the goal of elucidating the rates and types of meniscal tears,... (Review)
Review
Adults Have a Higher Incidence of Discoid Lateral Meniscus Tears Than Children-Adults Tend to Present With Complex Tears, While Horizontal Tear Patterns are Frequently Encountered in Children: A Systematic Review.
PURPOSE
To systematically review the available literature in patients with discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) with the goal of elucidating the rates and types of meniscal tears, clinical symptoms, treatment strategies, and postoperative clinical, and radiographic outcomes in adult patients compared with a pediatric population.
METHODS
A literature search was performed using the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases from database inception to October 2023 according to the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Level of evidence I through IV human clinical studies evaluating rate and type of meniscal tears, clinical symptoms, patient-reported outcome measures, and postoperative radiographical assessments in patients with DLM were included. Comparisons were made by age below and above 16 years. Study quality was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) criteria.
RESULTS
Thirteen studies comprising of 1772 adult patients (>16 years old) with DLM (n=1856 knees) and eight studies conducted in 304 pediatric patients (≤16 years old, n=353 knees) were include. The reported mean age ranged from 22.4 to 45 years (mean follow-up, 24 to 157.5 months) in the adult group and from 5 to 12.9 years (mean follow-up,37 to 234 months) in the pediatric DLM group. The majority of adult (n=553; 96.5%) and pediatric (n=163; 71.8%) patients had tears of the DLM. Complete DLM was the predominant type of DLM in both study groups (range in adults, 49.6 to 88%; range in pediatric, 19 to 100%) with complex (46.1%; range, 5.3-100%) and horizontal tears (18.2%; range, 20-37.5) being the most frequently described tear patterns in the adult and pediatric DLM groups, respectively. Pain was the predominant reported symptom in both study groups (range in adults, 12.1 to 99.3%; range in pediatrics, 32.4 to 100%). Partial meniscectomy was the most frequently reported treatment option conducted in 334 adult (39.5%; range, 24.2-100%) and 66 pediatric knees (63.5%; range, 15-100%).. Overall, improved postoperative clinical outcomes were reported in both study groups; however, radiographic progression of degenerative changes after subtotal meniscectomy was noted.
CONCLUSIONS
More adult patients with DLM present with tears in the literature compared with the pediatric population. Complex and horizontal tear patterns are the most frequently reported tears in adult and pediatric patients, respectively. . Pain is the most relevant symptom in both study groups. There was generally significant improvement in postoperative clinical outcome scores; partial meniscectomy however remains the most frequently reported treatment option and is associated with fewer degenerative changes than in subtotal meniscectomy. .
STUDY DESIGN
Level IV, Systematic review of Level I-IV studies.
PubMed: 38735407
DOI: 10.1016/j.arthro.2024.04.027 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Mar 2024This systematic review aims to evaluate critically and synthesize the existing literature on the outcomes of meniscectomy versus meniscal repair for posterior medial...
This systematic review aims to evaluate critically and synthesize the existing literature on the outcomes of meniscectomy versus meniscal repair for posterior medial meniscus injuries, with a focus on osteoarthritis (OA) development. We sought to assess the incidence of OA following both treatment modalities, compare functional outcomes post-treatment, and identify factors influencing treatment choice, providing evidence-based recommendations for clinical decision-making. A comprehensive search strategy was employed across PubMed, Scopus, and Embase up until December 2023, adhering to PRISMA guidelines. The primary outcomes included OA development, functional knee outcomes, and quality of life measures. Six studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 298 patients. The systematic review revealed a significant association between meniscal repair and decreased progression of OA compared to meniscectomy. Meniscectomy patients demonstrated a 51.42% progression rate towards OA, significantly higher than the 21.28% observed in meniscal repair patients. Functional outcomes, as measured by the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Lysholm scores, were notably better in the repair group, with average scores of 74.68 (IKDC) and 83.78 (Lysholm) compared to 67.55 (IKDC) and 74.56 (Lysholm) in the meniscectomy group. Furthermore, the rate of complete healing in the repair group was reported at 71.4%, as one study reported, indicating a favorable prognosis for meniscal preservation. However, these pooled data should be interpreted with consideration to the heterogeneity of the analyzed studies. Meniscal repair for posterior medial meniscus injuries is superior to meniscectomy in preventing OA development and achieving better functional outcomes and quality of life post-treatment. These findings strongly suggest the adoption of meniscal repair as the preferred treatment modality for such injuries, emphasizing the need for a paradigm shift in clinical practice towards preserving meniscal integrity to optimize patient outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Meniscectomy; Menisci, Tibial; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Quality of Life; Tibial Meniscus Injuries
PubMed: 38674215
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60040569 -
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology,... Apr 2024To describe the proposed classification systems for meniscal ramp lesions (RLs) in the literature and evaluate their accuracy and reliability.
PURPOSE
To describe the proposed classification systems for meniscal ramp lesions (RLs) in the literature and evaluate their accuracy and reliability.
METHODS
A systematic search was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines utilising PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases. Level I-IV studies referencing RLs along with either an arthroscopic- or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based classification system used to describe RL subtypes were included.
RESULTS
In total, 21 clinical studies were included. Twenty-seven (79%) of the included studies were published in 2020 or later. There were four main classification systems proposed within the literature (two arthroscopic-, two MRI-based), describing tear patterns, mediolateral extent, associated ligament disruption and stability of the lesion. The first classification was proposed in 2015 by Thaunat et al. and is referenced in 22 (64.7%) of the included studies. The application of the Thaunat et al. criteria to MRI showed variable sensitivity (31.70%-93.8%) and interobserver agreement (k = 0.55-0.80). The Greif et al. modification to the Thaunat et al. system was referenced in 32.4% of the included studies and had a substantial interobserver agreement (k = 0.8). Stability to probing and specific tear location were each used to classify RLs in 28.6% and 23.8% of the included clinical studies, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Although there has been a recent increase in the recognition and treatment of meniscal RLs, there is limited consistency in descriptive classifications used for this pathology. Current RL classification systems based on preoperative MRI have variable reliability, and arthroscopic examination remains the gold standard for diagnosis and classification.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Level IV.
PubMed: 38666656
DOI: 10.1002/ksa.12188