Abstract
Purpose:In this study we investigated the MRI þndings of healing process after arthroscopic meniscal repair. Methods and Materials: 15 patients with buckethandle medial meniscal tears were operated arthroscopically within 3 weeks after injury. All had accurately diagnosed meniscal tear with preoperative MRI. Six patients had an additional anterior cruciate ligament tear, also primarily reconstructed with the meniscal repair. The MR examination was perfrormed with a 1 T scanner, applying the following pulse sequences: T1-w Spin Echo (SE), PD-w Turbo Spin Echo (TSE) with fat suppression, T2-w TSE and T1-w SE in coronal and axial plane after iv administration of paramagnetic contrast agent. The postoperative MRI examinations were performed in 3 weeks intervals starting at the 6th postop and till the 18th , and 6 weeks thereafter. All patients were asymptomatic postoperatively. Results:Grade III and IV signal alterations were present on all MRI scans. Contrast enhanced images showed in addition: a) signal alterations extending through the path of suture out of the meniscus, b) enhancement of the medial collateral ligament simulating injury and c) synovitis in all patients. In one patient examined sequentially, the contrast-enhanced images demonstrated that a and b decreased after 3 months and synovitis was no more evident. Conclusion:Contrast enhanced MRI is the method of choice for demonstrating the normal healing process of the arthroscopic meniscal repair in bucket-handle tears. A gradually disappearing of the abnormal enhancement is related to scar tissue rather than to meniscal retear.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Dr. Frantz Langlais. Correspondence should be addressed to him at EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
