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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 33/8/1138    most recent 0363546505275348v1 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 Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed 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 ISI Web of Science (14) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lee, G. P. Articles by Diduch, D. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lee, G. P. Articles by Diduch, D. R. Related Collections Reconstruction Meniscus Operative

Deteriorating Outcomes After Meniscal Repair Using the Meniscus Arrow in Knees Undergoing Concurrent Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Increased Failure Rate With Long-term Follow-up

From the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Sports Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

^* Address correspondence to David R. Diduch, MD, University of Virginia, Box 800159, Charlottesville, VA 22908 (e-mail: drd5c{at}virginia.edu).

Background: An increased awareness of the degenerative changes that occur in the knee after meniscectomy has led to efforts to salvage the injured meniscus. Numerous devices have been developed in an effort to provide the dual benefits of a durable meniscal repair and minimal invasiveness.

Hypothesis: The Meniscus Arrow is comparable to conventional inside-out suture repair in accomplishing long-term healing of meniscal tears.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: This study is an extended follow-up of an original series of 32 patients with outcomes analysis. All patients underwent meniscal repair with exclusive use of the arrow. All repairs were performed in the context of a concomitant anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Follow-up assessment included physical examination, arthrometry, the International Knee Documentation Committee instrument, and the Knee Disorders Subjective History visual analog scale. Intermediate follow-up at a mean of 2.3 years yielded a success rate of 90.6%. The mean follow-up in the present study has been extended to 6.6 years.

Results: The extended follow-up analysis revealed a substantial attrition in the success rate of this series of patients undergoing meniscal repair with the arrow. A 90.6% success rate at a mean follow-up of 2.3 years deteriorated to 71.4% at 6.6 years.

Conclusion: This study provides the longest follow-up in the literature of any of the all-inside meniscal repair implants. The Meniscus Arrow demonstrated long-term meniscal healing rates inferior to those found in the literature for inside-out suture repair techniques.

Key Words: meniscus • repair • arrow • outcomes

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