Clinical and Radiologic Evaluation of Arthroscopic Medial Meniscus Root Tear Refixation: Comparison of the Modified Mason-Allen Stitch and Simple Stitches

Purpose: This study compared the clinical and radiologic outcomes of arthroscopic medial meniscus root refixation using the modified Mason-Allen stitch and simple stitches. Methods: The outcomes of 25 patients who underwent arthroscopic meniscus root refixation using the modified Mason-Allen stitch (M group) between June 2010 and January 2012 were compared with those of 25 matched control patients (S group) who underwent meniscus root refixation using simple stitches between March 2004 and August 2007. The Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form score, joint space narrowing, and Kellgren-Lawrence grade were assessed. Medial meniscal extrusion, progression of cartilage degeneration, and healing status of the refixed medial meniscus root were assessed on magnetic resonance images. Results: No between-group difference was found in age, sex, body mass index, or preoperative patient characteristics. The mean follow-up times for the M and S groups were 24.1 and 25.9 months (P = .248), respectively. The Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form, and Tegner activity scores improved significantly in both groups. The repaired root tended to heal better in the M group than in the S group (P = .065). Although the postoperative clinical outcomes did not differ between the groups, postoperative medial meniscal extrusion decreased -0.6 +/- 0.9 mm in the M group and increased 1 +/- 0.6 mm in the S group on magnetic resonance imaging (P < .001). The M group did not show significant progression in the Kellgren-Lawrence grade and cartilage degeneration (P = .083 and P = .317, respectively), whereas both measures increased significantly in the S group (P = .008 and P < .001, respectively). Conclusions: Compared with simple stitches, the modified Mason-Allen stitch improved the degree of meniscal extrusion, although the 2 different suture techniques showed no difference in clinical outcomes at short-term follow-up.