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BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine 2018To review existing biomechanical and clinical evidence regarding postoperative weight-bearing and range of motion restrictions for patients following meniscal repair...
OBJECTIVE
To review existing biomechanical and clinical evidence regarding postoperative weight-bearing and range of motion restrictions for patients following meniscal repair surgery.
METHODS AND DATA SOURCES
Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline, we searched MEDLINE using following search strategy: (((("Weight-Bearing/physiology"[Mesh]) OR "Range of Motion, Articular"[Mesh]) OR "Rehabilitation"[Mesh])) AND ("Menisci, Tibial"[Mesh]). Additional articles were derived from previous reviews. Eligible studies were published in English and reported a rehabilitation protocol following meniscal repair on human. We summarised rehabilitation protocols and patients' outcome among original studies.
RESULTS
Seventeen clinical studies were included in this systematic review. There was wide variation in rehabilitation protocols among clinical studies. Biomechanical evidence from small cadaveric studies suggests that higher degrees of knee flexion and weight-bearing may be safe following meniscal repair and may not compromise the repair. An accelerated protocol with immediate weight-bearing at tolerance and early motion to non-weight-bearing with immobilising up to 6 weeks postoperatively is reported. Accelerated rehabilitation protocols are not associated with higher failure rates following meniscal repair.
CONCLUSIONS
There is a lack of consensus regarding the optimal postoperative protocol following meniscal repair. Small clinical studies support rehabilitation protocols that allow early motion. Additional studies are needed to better clarify the interplay between tear type, repair method and optimal rehabilitation protocol.
PubMed: 29682310
DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2016-000212 -
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma... May 2022Aim of this systematic review was to analyze long-term results after meniscus refixation. (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Aim of this systematic review was to analyze long-term results after meniscus refixation.
METHODS
A systematic literature search was carried out in various databases on studies on long-term results after meniscus refixation with a minimum follow-up of 7 years. Primary outcome criterion was the failure rate. Secondary outcome criteria were radiological signs of osteoarthritis (OA) and clinical scores.
RESULTS
A total of 12 retrospective case series (level 4 evidence) were identified that reported about failure rates of more than 7 years follow-up. There was no statistical difference in the failure rates between open repair, arthroscopic inside-out with posterior incisions and arthroscopic all-inside repair with flexible non-resorbable implants. In long-term studies that examined meniscal repair in children and adolescents, failure rates were significantly higher than in studies that examined adults. Six studies have shown minor radiological degenerative changes that differ little from the opposite side. The reported clinical scores at follow-up were good to very good.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review demonstrates that good long-term outcomes can be obtained in patients after isolated meniscal repair and in combination with ACL reconstruction. With regard to the chondroprotective effect of meniscus repair, the long-term failure rate is acceptable.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
IV.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; Arthroscopy; Child; Humans; Menisci, Tibial; Meniscus; Retrospective Studies; Tibial Meniscus Injuries
PubMed: 33913009
DOI: 10.1007/s00402-021-03906-z -
Clinics in Sports Medicine Jan 2020Meniscus injuries are among the most common athletic injuries and result in functional impairment in the knee. Repair is crucial for pain relief and prevention of...
Meniscus injuries are among the most common athletic injuries and result in functional impairment in the knee. Repair is crucial for pain relief and prevention of degenerative joint diseases like osteoarthritis. Current treatments, however, do not produce long-term improvements. Thus, recent research has been investigating new therapeutic options for regenerating injured meniscal tissue. This review comprehensively details the current methodologies being explored in the basic sciences to stimulate better meniscus injury repair. Furthermore, it describes how these preclinical strategies may improve current paradigms of how meniscal injuries are clinically treated through a unique and alternative perspective to traditional clinical methodology.
Topics: Adipose Tissue; Biomechanical Phenomena; Bone Marrow Cells; Cartilage; Chondrocytes; Humans; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Menisci, Tibial; Platelet-Rich Fibrin; Platelet-Rich Plasma; Regeneration; Stem Cell Transplantation; Synovial Membrane; Tibial Meniscus Injuries; Tissue Engineering; Tissue Scaffolds
PubMed: 31767102
DOI: 10.1016/j.csm.2019.08.003 -
European Review For Medical and... Mar 2020Analyzing the available evidence by comparing the role of arthroscopic surgery and conservative treatment in the management of degenerative meniscopathy.
OBJECTIVE
Analyzing the available evidence by comparing the role of arthroscopic surgery and conservative treatment in the management of degenerative meniscopathy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A literature search was carried out on the PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and PEDro databases in May 2019 to identify all the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing arthroscopic surgery to conservative management of painful but stable degenerated menisci. The quality of the RCTs was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment.
RESULTS
A total of 10 studies, including 1525 patients and dealing with conservative treatment vs. arthroscopic surgery were included in this review. In eight studies the effectiveness of exercise therapy was compared to surgery; in one study the effectiveness of intra-articular steroid injection was compared to surgery; in one study the effectiveness of placebo surgery was compared to partial meniscectomy. In all studies, no significant inter-group difference in terms of knee pain and knee function were observed at any follow-up evaluation.
CONCLUSIONS
Degenerative meniscal tears, without symptoms of locking and catching, can be successfully managed by a proper regimen of physical therapy as a first line treatment. Surgical approach might be considered in case of poor response after conservative treatment.
Topics: Arthroscopy; Humans; Meniscectomy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Steroids; Tibial Meniscus Injuries
PubMed: 32271405
DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202003_20651 -
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Oct 2022We conducted a systematic review in order to understand the relationship between imaging-visualised meniscus pathologies, hyaline cartilage, joint replacement and pain... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
We conducted a systematic review in order to understand the relationship between imaging-visualised meniscus pathologies, hyaline cartilage, joint replacement and pain in knee osteoarthritis (OA).
DESIGN
A search of the Medline, Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE) and Cochrane library databases was performed for original publications reporting association between imaging-detected meniscal pathology (extrusion or tear/damage) and longitudinal and cross-sectional assessments of hyaline articular cartilage loss [assessed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)], incident joint replacement and pain (longitudinal and cross-sectional) in knee OA. Each association was qualitatively characterised by a synthesis of data from each analysis, based upon study design and quality scoring (including risk of bias assessment and adequacy of covariate adjustment using Cochrane recommended methodology).
RESULTS
In total 4,878 abstracts were screened and 82 publications were included (comprising 72 longitudinal analyses and 49 cross-sectional). Using high quality, well-adjusted data, meniscal extrusion and meniscal tear/damage were associated with longitudinal progression of cartilage loss, cross-sectional cartilage loss severity and joint replacement, independently of age, sex and body mass index (BMI). Medial and lateral meniscal tears were associated with cartilage loss when they occurred in the body and posterior horns, but not the anterior horns. There was a lack of high quality, well-adjusted meniscal pathology and pain publications and no clear independent association between meniscal extrusion or tear/damage with pain severity, progression in pain or incident frequent knee symptoms.
CONCLUSION
Meniscal features have strong associations with cartilage loss and joint replacement in knee OA, but weak associations with knee pain. Systematic review PROSPERO registration number: CRD 42020210910.
Topics: Arthroplasty, Replacement; Cartilage, Articular; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Knee Joint; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Menisci, Tibial; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Pain
PubMed: 35963512
DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2022.08.002 -
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology,... Jun 2023This study aimed to evaluate and compare the time required to return to sports (RTS) after surgery, the rate of revision surgery and the time required for RTS after... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
This study aimed to evaluate and compare the time required to return to sports (RTS) after surgery, the rate of revision surgery and the time required for RTS after revision surgery in elite athletes undergoing meniscal repair or partial meniscectomy, particularly analysing the difference between medial and lateral menisci. It was hypothesised that both procedures would entail similar, high rates of RTS, with the lateral meniscus exhibiting higher potential healing postprocedure compared to the medial meniscus.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted based on the PRISMA guidelines. Quality assessment of the systematic review was performed using the AMSTAR-2 checklist. The following search terms were browsed in the title, abstract and keyword fields: 'meniscus' or 'meniscal' AND 'tear,' 'injury' or 'lesion' AND 'professional,' 'elite' or 'high-level' AND 'athletes,' 'sports,' 'sportsman,' 'soccer,' 'basketball,' 'football' or 'handball'. The resulting measures extracted from the studies were the rate of RTS, level of RTS, complications, revision surgery and subsequent RTS, Tegner, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).
RESULTS
In this study, the cohort consisted of 421 patients [415 (98.6%) men and 6 (1.4%) women] with a mean age of 23.0 ± 3.0 years. All patients were elite athletes in wrestling, baseball, soccer, rugby or handball. While 327 (77.7%) patients received partial meniscectomy at a mean age of 23.3 ± 2.6 years, 94 (22.3%) patients received meniscal repair at a mean age of 22.1 ± 4.0 years. After partial meniscectomy, 277 patients (84.7%) returned to their competitive sports activity and 256 (78.3%) returned to their pre-injury activity levels. A total of 12 (3.7%) patients required revision surgery because of persistent pain [5 (1.5%) patients], chondrolysis [2 (0.7%) patients] or both chondrolysis and lateral instability [5 (1.5%) patients]. Ten (83.3%) of the twelve patients had involvement of the lateral meniscus, whereas the location of injury was not specified in the remaining two patients. After revision surgery, all patients (100%) resumed sports activity. However, after meniscal repair, 80 (85.1%) athletes returned to their competitive sports activity and 71 (75.5%) returned to their pre-injury activity levels. A total of 16 (17.0%) patients required partial meniscectomy in cases of persistent pain or suture failure. Of these, 4 (25%) patients involved lateral and medial menisci each and 8 (50%) patients were not specified. After revision surgery, more than 80.0% of the patients (13) resumed sports activity.
CONCLUSIONS
In elite athletes with isolated meniscal injury, partial meniscectomy and meniscal suture exhibited similar rates of RTS and return to pre-injury levels. Nonetheless, athletes required more time for RTS after meniscal repair and exhibited an increased rate of revision surgery associated with a reduced rate of RTS after the subsequent surgery. For lateral meniscus tears, meniscectomy was associated with a high rate of revision surgery and risk of chondrolysis, whereas partial medial meniscectomy allowed for rapid RTS but with the potential risk of developing knee osteoarthritis over the years. The findings of this systematic review suggested a suture on the lateral meniscus in elite athletes because of the high healing potential after the procedure, the reduced risk of developing chondrolysis and the high risk of revision surgery after partial meniscectomy. Furthermore, it is important to evaluate several factors while dealing with the medial meniscus. If rapid RTS activity is needed, a hyperselective meniscectomy is recommended; otherwise, a meniscal suture is recommended to avoid accelerated osteoarthritis.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Level IV.
STUDY REGISTRATION
PROSPERO-CRD42022351979 ( https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=351979 ).
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Young Adult; Adult; Adolescent; Menisci, Tibial; Meniscectomy; Knee Joint; Soccer; Cartilage Diseases; Athletes; Retrospective Studies; Arthroscopy
PubMed: 36319751
DOI: 10.1007/s00167-022-07208-8 -
British Journal of Sports Medicine Jan 2023The primary aim was to evaluate risk factors for surgical site infections after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The secondary aim was to investigate... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVES
The primary aim was to evaluate risk factors for surgical site infections after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The secondary aim was to investigate the surgical site infection incidence rate and the mean time to postoperative surgical site infection symptoms.
DESIGN
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
DATA SOURCES
PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched from database inception to September 2021 and updated in April 2022.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Quantitative, original studies reporting potential risk factors for surgical site infections after ACLR were included.
RESULTS
Twenty-three studies with 3871 infection events from 469 441 ACLRs met the inclusion criteria. Male sex (OR 1.78, p< 0.00001), obesity (OR 1.82, p=0.0005), tobacco use (OR 1.37, p=0.01), diabetes mellitus (OR 3.40, p=0.002), steroid use history (OR 4.80, p<0.00001), previous knee surgery history (OR 3.63, p=0.02), professional athlete (OR 4.56, p=0.02), revision surgery (OR 2.05, p=0.04), hamstring autografts (OR 2.83, p<0.00001), concomitant lateral extra-articular tenodesis (OR 3.92, p=0.0001) and a long operating time (weighted mean difference 8.12, p=0.005) were identified as factors that increased the risk of surgical site infections (superficial and deep) after ACLR. Age, outpatient or inpatient surgery, bone-patellar tendon-bone autografts or allografts and a concomitant meniscus suture did not increase the risk of surgical site infections. The incidence of surgical site infections after ACLR was approximately 1% (95% CI 0.7% to 1.2%). The mean time from surgery to the onset of surgical site infection symptoms was approximately 17.1 days (95% CI 13.2 to 21.0 days).
CONCLUSION
Male sex, obesity, tobacco use, diabetes mellitus, steroid use history, previous knee surgery history, professional athletes, revision surgery, hamstring autografts, concomitant lateral extra-articular tenodesis and a long operation time may increase the risk of surgical site infections after ACLR. Although the risk of surgical site infections after ACLR is low, raising awareness and implementing effective preventions for risk factors are priorities for clinicians to reduce the incidence of surgical site infections due to its seriousness.
Topics: Humans; Male; Surgical Wound Infection; Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Grafting; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction; Risk Factors; Obesity; Steroids; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; Knee Joint
PubMed: 36517215
DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-105448 -
Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery Oct 2023There is no consensus established on postoperative rehabilitation after medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT) repair, including when and how physicians can apply...
BACKGROUND
There is no consensus established on postoperative rehabilitation after medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT) repair, including when and how physicians can apply range of motion (ROM) exercise, weight-bearing (WB), brace use, and return to sports (RTS). The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature on postoperative rehabilitation characteristics of MMPRT repair regarding ROM, WB, brace use, and RTS.
METHODS
A literature search was performed using the Medline/PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase databases. The inclusion criteria were English language, human clinical studies, and studies describing rehabilitation protocols after MMPRT repair such as ROM, WB, brace use, and RTS. Abstracts, case reports, cohort studies, controlled laboratory studies, human cadaveric or animal studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses were excluded.
RESULTS
Thirteen studies were included. Of the 12 ROM studies, ROM was started immediately within 1 or 2 days after operation in 6 studies and after 2 to 3 weeks of knee immobilization in the rest. Of the 13 WB studies, partial weight-bearing was initiated 1 to 4 weeks after operation in 8 studies and 6 weeks in the rest. Of the 9 brace studies, patients were immobilized by a splint for 2 weeks in 3 studies, and in the rest, a brace with full extension was applied for 3 to 6 weeks after several days of splint application. Of the 7 RTS studies, RTS was allowed at 6 months in 6 studies and 5 to 7 months in 1 study.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review revealed conservative rehabilitation protocols were more widely adapted as ROM and WB were restricted at certain degrees during postoperative periods in most protocols analyzed. However, it is impossible to identify a consensus on rehabilitation protocols as the protocols analyzed in this review were distinct each other and heterogeneous. In the future, a well-designed comparative study among different rehabilitation protocols is essential to establish a consensus.
Topics: Humans; Menisci, Tibial; Return to Sport; Rupture; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; Weight-Bearing
PubMed: 37811518
DOI: 10.4055/cios21231 -
Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery (Hong... 2023Complete meniscus root tear is associated with meniscus extrusion; this causes a loss of meniscus function and accelerated osteoarthritis of the knee. Existing... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
PURPOSE
Complete meniscus root tear is associated with meniscus extrusion; this causes a loss of meniscus function and accelerated osteoarthritis of the knee. Existing small-scale retrospective case-control studies suggested that the outcomes were different between medial and lateral meniscus root repair. This meta-analysis aims to study whether such discrepancies exist via a systematic review of the available evidence in the literature.
METHODS
Studies evaluating the outcomes of surgical repair of posterior meniscus root tears, with reassessment MRI or second-look arthroscopy, were identified through a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. The degree of meniscus extrusion, healing status of the repaired meniscus root, and functional outcome scores after repair were the outcomes of interest.
RESULTS
Among the 732 studies identified, 20 studies were included in this systematic review. 624 knees and 122 knees underwent MMPRT and LMPRT repair, respectively. The amount of meniscus extrusion following MMPRT repair was 3.8 ± 1.7 mm, which was significantly larger than the 0.9 ± 1.2 mm observed after LMPRT repair ( < 0.001). Significantly better healing outcomes were observed on reassessment MRI after LMPRT repair ( < 0.001). The postoperative Lysholm score and IKDC score was also significantly better after LMPRT than MMPRT repair ( < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
LMPRT repairs resulted in significantly less meniscus extrusion, substantially better healing outcomes on MRI, and superior Lysholm/IKDC scores, when compared to MMPRT repair. This is the first meta-analysis we are aware of that systematically reviews the differences in the clinical, radiographic, and arthroscopic results of MMPRT and LMPRT repair.
Topics: Humans; Menisci, Tibial; Retrospective Studies; Knee Joint; Osteoarthritis; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Arthroscopy; Rupture
PubMed: 37173149
DOI: 10.1177/10225536231175233 -
Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine Mar 2021Clinical outcomes of surgical repairs for tears of the lateral meniscus posterior root (LMPR) in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction... (Review)
Review
Clinical, Radiographic, and Arthroscopic Outcomes of Surgical Repair for Radial and Avulsed Lesions on the Lateral Meniscus Posterior Root During ACL Reconstruction: A Systematic Review.
BACKGROUND
Clinical outcomes of surgical repairs for tears of the lateral meniscus posterior root (LMPR) in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) have not been comprehensively investigated.
PURPOSE
To systematically review the clinical, radiographic, and arthroscopic results of surgical repairs for tears of the LMPR in patients undergoing ACLR.
STUDY DESIGN
Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.
METHODS
A systematic electronic search of the PubMed and Embase databases was performed to identify studies reporting clinical, radiographic, or arthroscopic results of surgical repairs for tears of the LMPR in patients undergoing ACLR. Each included study was abstracted regarding study characteristics, patient characteristics, surgical technique, and outcome measures. The methodological quality of the included studies was analyzed according to the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) criteria.
RESULTS
Nine studies were included in this systematic review, representing a total of 215 knees in 215 patients. Overall, 123 side-to-side repairs and 89 pullout repairs were performed for tears of the LMPR during ACLR. After a mean follow-up of 33.9 months, significant improvements ( < .05) were found in the mean Lysholm score (from 58.3 to 91.4) as well as the mean International Knee Documentation Committee subjective score (from 61.1 to 87.2). Weightbearing anteroposterior radiographs of 41 patients showed no significant narrowing of lateral joint space width. On magnetic resonance imaging scans, 31 patients demonstrated no significant progression of chondral lesions, and no significant decreases in meniscal extrusion on coronal planes were reported in another 76 patients. The complete/partial healing was 93.6% on second-look arthroscopy after side-to-side repairs for radial tears of the LMPR. The MINORS value showed a high risk of bias for all 9 studies.
CONCLUSION
Patients with tears of the LMPR associated with ACL injuries achieved favorable functional scores after ACLR and LMPR repairs, and the side-to-side repair for radial tears of the LMPR succeeded in a high meniscal healing rate of >90%. However, the authors of this review were unable to definitively conclude whether LMPR repairs fully restore the hoop stress of the lateral meniscus.
PubMed: 33796590
DOI: 10.1177/2325967121989678