Factors associated with the status of meniscal tears following meniscal repair concomitant with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Purpose: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are often accompanied by meniscal tears. Meniscal repair is typically performed during ACL reconstruction. However, retear of the meniscus after repair is frequent. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors associated with meniscal healing after meniscal repair concomitant with ACL reconstruction. Materials and methods: Eighty-seven meniscal repairs in 87 patients who received meniscal repair combined with ACL reconstruction and received second-look arthroscopy at a mean of postoperatively 15.7 months were examined retrospectively. The menisci were divided into three groups (complete heal, incomplete heal, and retear), and factors thought to affect the healing status of repaired menisci were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Meniscal healing was judged to be complete in 49 knees (56%), incomplete in 19 knees, (22%), and retear in 19 knees (22%). There were no significant differences among the three groups in age, sex, time from injury to operation, mean Tegner activity scale, tear location, or mean postoperative anteroposterior tibial translation on KT-1000. The mean length of the tear was significantly higher in the retear group. Additionally, the proportion patients with complete tear and the proportion with postoperative positive pivot shift test were significantly higher in the retear group than in the other groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that complete tear and positive pivot shift test were associated with retear. Conclusions: These findings suggest that complete tears and residual instability are associated with retears after meniscal repair concomitant with ACL reconstruction.