HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Baratz, M. E. Articles by Rudert, M.J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Baratz, M. E. Articles by Rudert, M.J.

Peripheral tears of the meniscus

The effect of open versus arthroscopic repair on intraarticular contact stresses in the human knee

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

David C. Rehak

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Freddie H. Fu, MD

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

M.J. Rudert

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The mechanical properties of the repaired meniscus may affect its ability to heal and to protect the articular surface against degenerative changes. We compared the immediate biomechanical consequences of open versus arthroscopic repair in the human cadaver knee. Additionally, having measured postoperative stresses at various degrees of knee flexion, we have addressed the effect of tethering of the meniscus, a question relevant to both meniscus repair and replacement. Peak stresses were measured by the Pressensor system. Fresh human cadaver knees were subjected to loading in an Instron unit, on an unconstrained base. Instanta neous loads were applied with the knee in 0°, 30°, or 60° of flexion, and stress distributions were measured after repair of a 2 cm peripheral tear, by an open or arthroscopic approach. The results of loading experi ments on five knees revealed no statistically significant differences between stresses after the two repairs. Similarly, there was no statistically significant difference between the normal and repaired menisci. In our model, this suggests that the immediate biomechanical con sequences of open and arthroscopic repair are equiv alent and that the "tethered" meniscus distributes loads as well as the normal meniscus.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. J. Lee, K. J. Aadalen, P. Malaviya, E. P. Lorenz, J. K. Hayden, J. Farr, R. W. Kang, and B. J. Cole Tibiofemoral Contact Mechanics After Serial Medial Meniscectomies in the Human Cadaveric Knee Am. J. Sports Med., August 1, 2006; 34(8): 1334 - 1344. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K Rae, H Britt, J Orchard, and C Finch Classifying sports medicine diagnoses: a comparison of the International classification of diseases 10-Australian modification (ICD-10-AM) and the Orchard sports injury classification system (OSICS-8) Br. J. Sports Med., December 1, 2005; 39(12): 907 - 911. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Yagishita, T. Muneta, T. Ogiuchi, I. Sekiya, and K. Shinomiya Healing Potential of Meniscal Tears Without Repair in Knees With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Am. J. Sports Med., December 1, 2004; 32(8): 1953 - 1961. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. M. Alhalki, S. M. Howell, and M. L. Hull How Three Methods for Fixing a Medial Meniscal Autograft Affect Tibial Contact Mechanics Am. J. Sports Med., May 1, 1999; 27(3): 320 - 328. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. E. Fitzgibbons and K. D. Shelbourne "Aggressive" Nontreatment of Lateral Meniscal Tears Seen During Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Am. J. Sports Med., March 1, 1995; 23(2): 156 - 159. [Abstract] [PDF]

				Zhongnan Zhang, J. A. Arnold, T. Williams, and B. McCann Repairs by Trephination and Suturing of Longitudinal Injuries in the Avascular Area of the Meniscus in Goats Am. J. Sports Med., January 1, 1995; 23(1): 35 - 41. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. J. Tenuta and R. A. Arciero Arthroscopic Evaluation of Meniscal Repairs: Factors That Effect Healing Am. J. Sports Med., December 1, 1994; 22(6): 797 - 802. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. S. Austin and O. H. Sherman Complications of arthroscopic meniscal repair Am. J. Sports Med., December 1, 1993; 21(6): 864 - 869. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Sommerlath and J. Gillquist The effect of a meniscal prosthesis on knee biomechanics and cartilage: An experimental study in rabbits Am. J. Sports Med., January 1, 1992; 20(1): 73 - 81. [Abstract] [PDF]