Introduction. As modern day lifestyle is becoming more active so is the incidence of meniscal injuries on rise. An injury to the meniscus is a common orthopedic problem with the incidence of meniscal injury resulting in meniscectomy of 61 per 100,000 populations per year. The common practice in diagnosis of the meniscal injury involves clinical examination followed by radiological or arthroscopic confirmation. The clinical tests commonly performed are joint line tenderness (JLT), McMurray's Test (Non-weight bearing test) and Childress Test (Weight Bearing Test). Aim. In our study, we performed the comparative analysis of the validity parameters for components of clinical examination in form of Joint line tenderness, McMurray's test and Childress Test. Methodology. A retrospective analysis was performed on the database established using Orchard Sports Injury Classification System-8. Codes KC2 and KC3 (Meniscal injuries) were identified for single examiner for duration from 2004–2007. Out of 88 patients considered for the study, 62 patients were stratified in whom only clinical examination was performed followed by arthroscopic evaluation. The validity parameters considered were accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV). Results. Joint line tenderness had accuracy of 85.47%, sensitivity of 89.09%, and specificity of 57.14%, PPV of 94.23% and NPV of 40%. McMurray's test yielded a accuracy of 88.7%, sensitivity of 89.65%, specificity of 75%, PPV of 98.11%, NPV of 33.33% while Childress test accurately predicted meniscal injury 87.09% and was sensitive for 94.73% with specificity of 40%, PPV of 94.73% and NPV of 40%. Conclusion. We can summarise that though the JLT, McMurray's Test and Childress Test provide a variable yet effective diagnostic value, all through can provide a composite diagnostic yield improving the outcome of clinical examination in meniscal injuries

Introduction. Meniscal injuries are very common cause of knee pain and resultant attendance to the orthopaedics or sports medicine clinics. The current protocol stands at clinical examination at first contact and establishing a diagnosis with clinical indicators like joint line tenderness, McMurray's, Apley's and weight-bearing test for meniscal pathology followed by MRI scan to confirm the diagnosis. Either surgical or conservative management follows this. We aim to assess clinical examination alone provide sufficient evidence for further management of meniscal injury and does a role of MRI scan exist to corroborate the findings. Methodology. We retrospectively studied 88 patients attending the sports medicine clinic for the duration 2004–2007 examined by senior clinical assessor. We investigated the co-relation of the clinical and MRI findings to validate if there exists an actual clinical justification to use MRI scan in every patient. We divided the data in further subsets of 57 patients in whom both clinical examination and MRI scan were performed and were validated by arthroscopy. The data obtained was analysed for parameters of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value [PPV] and negative predictive value [NPV]. Results. The comparison of clinical examination against MRI scans alone in 88 patients provided a accuracy of 81.81%, sensitivity of 95.77% and specificity of 23.52%. The assessment revealed that clinical examination yielded accuracy of 89.47%, sensitivity of 96%, specificity of 42 %, PPV of 92%, NPV of 60% while MRI scan was 87.70% accurate, 86% sensitive, with specificity of 100%, PPV of 100%, NPV of 57.14%. Conclusion. From the results yielded by the study we can conclude that in experienced hands the clinical examination is as robust as MRI scan for meniscal injury of knee and can negate the need for MRI scan to be performed in every painful knee with suspicious meniscal injury

Purpose of the study: Early and correct diagnosis of meniscal injuries in children is essential to preserve the meniscus and knee function. Often isolated, these lesions may be difficult to identify. The diagnostic procedure involves an excess of diagnostic arthroscopies and multiple series of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures performed by radiologists not specialised in paediatric diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the concordance between MRI and arthroscopic findings in children with meniscal lesions. Material and methods: This was a retrospective analysis of MRI series then arthroscopy performed on 96 knees in a paediatric population (age 9 – 17 years) explored between 1995 and 2008 for suspected traumatic meniscal injury. Discoid mensci were excluded. All arthroscopic procedures were reviewed by one operator and MRI by one radiologist familiar with paediatric pathology. All files were complete. Agreement with the arthroscopic findings (gold standard) was determined by the presence of a meniscal lesion, its localisation, and its type. Results: Agreement reached 72% for presence or not of a lesion. It was 55% for localisation and 45% for type. In this context, the sensitivity of MRI was 85% with 42% specificity. There were 11 false positives and 7 false negatives. Discussion: These figures are disappointing compared with those reported in the adult population (sensitivity 92% and specificity 87%) and express a decline in sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value for MRI in children. The experience of a paediatric radiologist could improve the sensitivity of MRI in these situations. Conclusion: This study shows that the agreement is not perfect for a suspected meniscal injury in children. MRI does not provide adequate diagnostic information and cannot be used for precise preoperative planning due to a lack of descriptive precision

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture with associated meniscal pathology commonly occurs in a young, active population. Preserving a greater proportion of the meniscus may improve long-term outcomes by maintaining shock absorption and knee stability. However, meniscal repair procedures involve longer healing and rehabilitation than meniscal debridement, which could affect return to work and activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the functional outcomes and quality of life scores through two years in patients undergoing ACL reconstruction (ACL-R) who had meniscal repair, meniscal debridement, or no meniscal damage at the time of reconstruction. Data for 1814 skeletally mature patients with isolated primary ACL-R was prospectively collected at a single centre from January 2010 to December 2015. Functional testing of operative to non-operative limb performance was completed at one- and two-years following surgery and included single-leg balance, single-leg hop for distance, timed six-meter hop, triple-hop for distance, and triple cross-over hop for distance. ACL-Quality-of-life questionnaires (ACL-QoL) were completed pre-operatively and at 1- and 2-years post-operatively. Descriptive statistics were completed for patient demographics and intra-operative pathology. Unpaired t-tests using 95% confidence intervals were conducted to compare groups. The patient cohort was 45% female, with a mean age of 31 years (SD 11, range 14–66). Meniscal injury was detected in 1229/1814 knees (67.8%). There were 729 debridements and 538 repairs performed. Graft choice was hamstring autograft in 85.8% of cases, bone-patellar-tendon-bone autograft in 2.5%, allograft in 10.1% and other graft types in 1.5%. Pre-operative ACL-QoL scores were 29 and 28.5 for knees without and with meniscal damage, respectively (p>0.05). Of 1814 patients, 1269 (69.9%) completed the ACL-QoL at the two-year appointment, and 1225 (67.5%) completed the functional testing. At two years post-operative, patients with no meniscal damage at surgery demonstrated superior limb symmetry performance on triple-hop for distance compared to patients with meniscal damage (98.4% vs 97.1%, p < 0 .05, CI 0.1–2.5%). No other functional testing parameters showed statistical significance. There was no difference in functional outcome between patients undergoing an isolated meniscal repair versus debridement at one- or two-years. ACL-QoL scores were statistically significantly higher at one- and two-years post-operative for patients without meniscal damage (1-year: 73 vs 70.2, p < 0 .05, CI 0.51–5.1, 2-years: 79.2 vs 76.1, p < 0 .05, CI 0.79–5.4). ACL-QoL scores were minimally higher for isolated meniscal debridement compared to isolated meniscal repair at both time points (1-year: 71.4 vs 68, p < 0 .05, CI 0.4–6.4, 2-years: 78.3 vs 74, p < 0 .05, CI 1.3–7.3). Functional outcomes do not differ at one or two years post-operatively for patients undergoing meniscal repair versus debridement concomitant with ACL-R. Quality of life scores were statistically significantly higher for the patients with no meniscal pathology at both one- and two-years post-operative. ACL-QoL scores were also statistically significantly different for the meniscal repair and debridement groups however these differences are unlikely to be clinically significant. Extended follow-up is needed to determine if the differences detected in ACL-QoL scores are sustained over time, as well as the long-term role of meniscal injury on functional outcomes

The purpose of the study was to assess the accuracy of clinical examination to diagnose meniscal injury. Internal Derangement of Knee is one of the most common conditions encountered in routine orthopaedic practice. The ultimate outcome depends upon timely management based on correct diagnosis. There are various tools available to diagnose this condition, mainly clinical examination, MRI & Arthroscopy. The individual method needs to be evaluated on the basis of merits and demerits depending upon the cost, time spent waiting for results and the degree of accuracy it provides. The study was carried out retrospectively by looking at case notes of 98 patients, who had arthroscopy of the knees with or without MRI. An attempt was made to establish the correlation between the arthroscopic diagnosis and the clinical signs looked for to diagnose meniscal injury. The result of the study showed that although the accuracy to diagnose the internal derangement prior to arthroscopy was fairly high, poor documentation of clinical examination findings, defeated the purpose of the assessment of accuracy. From patient’s management point of view, it appears that Arthroscopy & MRI have become indispensable tools in the evaluation of the injured knee. They can provide the physician and patient pre treatment prognosis. However they must be utilized as a complimentary to (not instead of) clinical evaluation and judgment. They become less cost-effective if used in a less responsible manner without the appropriate first-line investigations i.e. accurate clinical examination

ACL deficiency can have detrimental pathological effects on the menisci in the knee. A database review in Quebec over a three-year period was previously reported (Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, Winnipeg, 2003), which examined the relationship between waiting times for ACL surgery and the requirement of a meniscal procedure. The purpose of this study is to determine if the length of time between an index injury and ACL reconstruction (ACLR) surgery correlates with the incidence of meniscal repair and meniscectomy in Alberta, and to compare the results to those of the Quebec study. Retrospective study, using procedure and billing codes to search the Alberta Health and Wellness databases for knees undergoing primary ACLR surgery between 2002–2005. Inclusion: Patients sixteen years or older at time of reconstruction. Exclusion: Revision ACLR, duplicate billing and coding, and insufficient database information. For each reconstructed knee, databases were searched for initial injury evaluation date with primary care physician, dates of meniscectomy or meniscal repair procedures, and date of ACLR. Over a three-year period, there were 3382 primary ACL reconstructions performed in Alberta, 3812 ACLR in Quebec. Of these patients, 2583 in Alberta (76%) and 1722 in Quebec (45%) required a meniscal procedure. On average, Albertans waited 1389 days from injury to ACLR compared to 422 days in Quebec. In Alberta, patients not requiring a meniscal procedure waited 1212 days, patients requiring meniscal repair waited 1143 days, and patients requiring meniscectomy waited 1519 days, compared to 251, 413 and 676 days in Quebec, respectively. Three percent of patients in Alberta had ACLR < three months after injury (114 patients), with 45% requiring meniscectomy. Overall, 61% of patients in Alberta required a meniscectomy for significant meniscal injury, compared to 48% of patients in Quebec. The proportions for each province were statistically significant. Compared to Quebec, patients in Alberta are waiting longer for ACLR, with only a small proportion of cases being treated acutely. The proportion of patients requiring surgery for significant meniscal injury is also greater in Alberta. The higher proportion of patients in Alberta requiring meniscectomy may be due to the delay in ACLR

We report bone bruises on Anterior Cruciate Ligament (hereinafter referred to as ACL) injury. We also investigated the relationship among the presence or absence of bone bruises, localization, and the presence or absence of meniscal injury according to the period of MRI scan from injury. We underwent the study used a total of 76 knees who underwent ACL reconstruction at our hospital and related hospitals from January 2014 to December 2017. We investigated on MRI images taken after injury. Meniscal injuries were evaluated by intraoperative findings. The average age at injury was 25.8 years old (13–48 years old) in 44 males and 32 females. Bone bruises were found in 54 of 76 knees (71%). Among them, the ratio of non-contact type was much higher in the group with bone bruises than in the contact group (83% in the group with bone bruises, 64% in the group without bone bruises), resulting in a shorter period from injury to MRI (bone bruises group: 12.4 days, non-bone bruises group: 23 days). Looking at the appearance frequency of bone bruises according to the period from injury to MRI imaging, the appearance frequency of bone bruises decreased as the time to imaging became longer (within 2 weeks of injury: 76%, injury from 2 weeks to 1 month: 65%, injury 1–3 months: 53%). With regard to the localization of bone bruises, in the coronal section, both femurs and tibiae frequently had bone bruises on the outside. In the sagittal section, it occurred in front of the femur, in particular. On the tibial side, many cases of bone bruises occurred in the rear. In addition, the association between bone bruises and meniscal injuries were significantly complicated with lateral meniscal injury in the group without femoroconstriction in the group with lateral femoral bone bruises and in the group with posterior tibia bone bruises. There was no significant association between bone bruises and meniscal injury among the other groups. Bone bruises were found in 54 of 76 knees (71%). Regarding the occurrence of many lateral developments, it is thought that the tibia is sub-dislocated anteriorly due to mild flexion, valgus force, and external rotation injury, and injury is caused by axial pressure applied to the outside of the femur and posterior of the tibia It was done. As a result, it was considered that the external meniscal injury was injured. The medial unilateral development of bone contusion was observed in 3 knees on the medial femur and 1 knee on the medial tibia. All internal single-cased cases are contact-type injuries, the result of which may be different in the mechanism of bone contusion development

Recent findings have identified the importance of previously undiagnosed or neglected meniscus lesions in association with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries (e.g. medial meniscus ramp lesions and posterior root tears of the lateral meniscus). There is increasing biomechanical evidence that they bear the potential to alter both anteroposterior and rotational laxity patterns in ACL injured knees. Few data exist with respect to the presence of these specific tear entities in large series of ACL injured patients. The purpose of the study was to analyze the meniscus tear pattern in a series of ACL injured knees with a special focus on ramp lesions of the medial meniscus and posterior root lesions of the lateral meniscus. The hypothesis was that a significant number of ACL injured patients would display these types of lesions. Data from 358 patients undergoing an ACL reconstruction (227 males /131 females, age: 28±10) were extracted from a center-based registry. The type of ACL tear (partial versus complete) as well as the presence of associated meniscus lesions were documented. Meniscus lesions were classified into the following categories: medial ramp lesions, lateral root lesions, medial ramp and lateral root lesion, other medial meniscus injuries, other lateral meniscus injuries, other bimeniscal injuries. Chi-square tests were used to determine whether the percentage of meniscal lesions differed between types of ACL tear, gender and age (below 21, 21–35, above 35). Significance was set at p < 0.05. Isolated ACL tears were present in 107 (30%) of the operated knees (31 partial; 327 complete). Complete ACL lesions were more likely to present an associated meniscus injury (321 out of 327, 71%) than partial tears (13 out of 31, 42%). The incidence of meniscus injuries which are associated with ACL tears is very high (70%). Previously undiagnosed or neglected meniscus injuries like medial ramp or lateral root tears could be identified in 35% of patients. As such, the hypothesis was confirmed that an important amount of ACL injured knees display this specific intraarticular soft tissue damage. A systematic evaluation of these lesions under arthroscopy should thus be performed and specific repair needs to be evaluated

Introduction. Degenerative meniscal tears are the most common meniscal lesions, representing huge clinical and socio-economic burdens. Their role in knee osteoarthritis (OA) onset and progression is well established and demonstrated by several retrospective studies. Effective preventive measures and non-surgical treatments for degenerative meniscal lesions are still lacking, also because of the lack of specific and accurate animal models in which test them. Thus, we aim to develop and validate an accurate animal model of meniscus degeneration. Method. Three different surgical techniques to induce medial meniscus degenerative changes in ovine model were performed and compared. A total of 32 sheep (stifle joints) were subjected to either one of the following surgical procedures: a) direct arthroscopic mechanical meniscal injury; b) peripheral devascularization and denervation of medial meniscus; c) full thickness medial femoral condyle cartilage lesion. In all the 3 groups, the contralateral joint served as a control. Result. From a visual examination of the knee joint emerged a clear difference between control and operated groups, in the menisci but also in the cartilage, indicating the onset of OA-related cartilage degeneration. The meniscal and cartilaginous lesions were characterized by different severity and location in the different groups. For instance, a direct meniscal injury caused cartilaginous lesions especially in the medial part of the condyles, and the other approaches presented specific signature. Evaluation of scoring scales (e.g. ICRS score) allowed the quantification of the damage and the identification of differences among the four groups. Conclusion. We were effectively able to develop and validate a sheep model of meniscal degeneration which led to the onset of OA. This innovative model will allow to test in a pre-clinical relevant setting innovative approaches to prevent meniscal-related OA. Funding. Project PNRR-MAD-2022-12375978 funded by Italian Ministry of Health

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common and debilitating knee injuries in professional athletes with an incidence in females up to eight-times higher than their male counterparts. ACL injuries can be career-threatening and are associated with increased risk of developing knee osteoarthritis in future life. The increased risk of ACL injury in females has been attributed to various anatomical, developmental, neuromuscular, and hormonal factors. Anatomical and hormonal factors have been identified and investigated as significant contributors including osseous anatomy, ligament laxity, and hamstring muscular recruitment. Postural stability and impact absorption are associated with the stabilizing effort and stress on the ACL during sport activity, increasing the risk of noncontact pivot injury. Female patients have smaller diameter hamstring autografts than males, which may predispose to increased risk of re-rupture following ACL reconstruction and to an increased risk of chondral and meniscal injuries. The addition of an extra-articular tenodesis can reduce the risk of failure; therefore, it should routinely be considered in young elite athletes. Prevention programs target key aspects of training including plyometrics, strengthening, balance, endurance and stability, and neuromuscular training, reducing the risk of ACL injuries in female athletes by up to 90%. Sex disparities in access to training facilities may also play an important role in the risk of ACL injuries between males and females. Similarly, football boots, pitches quality, and football size and weight should be considered and tailored around females’ characteristics. Finally, high levels of personal and sport-related stress have been shown to increase the risk of ACL injury which may be related to alterations in attention and coordination, together with increased muscular tension, and compromise the return to sport after ACL injury. Further investigations are still necessary to better understand and address the risk factors involved in ACL injuries in female athletes. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(2):94–100

Abstract. Introduction. There is currently very little evidence which can be used to guide surgeons treating skeletally immature patients with suspected meniscal injury. The aim of our modified Delphi study was to develop comprehensive recommendations for the management of isolated meniscal tears in skeletally immature children. Methodology. An international, two round, modified Delphi consensus was completed. Included ‘experts’ were identified as having an established adult and/or paediatric knee practice and either: 1) Faculty at the international kid's knee meeting, 2) Active member of the complex national paediatric MDT group, or 3) faculty on recognised national course aimed at teaching knee surgeons regarding the management of meniscal lesions. A threshold of 70% was used to identify consensus. Results. A total of 43 experts (Round 1) and 41 experts (Round 2) took part in the Delphi study. Surgeons from the UK, Europe, USA and South America took part. 34 statements were identified exploring 4 main domains – clinical diagnosis, investigation, management and specialist tears. Following round 1 consensus was reached on 17 (50%) statements, subsequently after completion of round 2 consensus was reached on 28 (82%) statements, leaving 6 (18%) with no consensus. Conclusions. This is the first modified delphi consensus which provides evidence for surgeons treating skeletally immature children with isolated meniscal tears. Further studies are required to provide evidence for the areas where no consensus was reached

Aims. Meniscal injuries are common and often induce knee pain requiring surgical intervention. To develop effective strategies for meniscus regeneration, we hypothesized that a minced meniscus embedded in an atelocollagen gel, a firm gel-like material, may enhance meniscus regeneration through cell migration and proliferation in the gel. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate cell migration and proliferation in atelocollagen gels seeded with autologous meniscus fragments in vitro and examine the therapeutic potential of this combination in an in vivo rabbit model of massive meniscus defect. Methods. A total of 34 Japanese white rabbits (divided into defect and atelocollagen groups) were used to produce the massive meniscus defect model through a medial patellar approach. Cell migration and proliferation were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, histological evaluation of the sections was performed, and a modified Pauli’s scoring system was used for the quantitative evaluation of the regenerated meniscus. Results. In vitro immunohistochemistry revealed that the meniscus cells migrated from the minced meniscus and proliferated in the gel. Furthermore, histological analysis suggested that the minced meniscus embedded in the atelocollagen gel produced tissue resembling the native meniscus in vivo. The minced meniscus group also had a higher Pauli’s score compared to the defect and atelocollagen groups. Conclusion. Our data show that cells in minced meniscus can proliferate, and that implantation of the minced meniscus within atelocollagen induces meniscus regeneration, thus suggesting a novel therapeutic alternative for meniscus tears. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(4):269–276

Meniscal injuries affect over 1.5 million people across Europe and the USA annually. Injury greatly reduces knee joint mobility and quality of life and frequently leads to the development of osteoarthritis. Tissue engineered strategies have emerged in response to a lack of viable treatments for meniscal pathologies. However, to date, constructs mimicking the structural and functional organisation of native tissue, whilst promoting deposition of new extracellular matrix, remains a bottleneck in meniscal repair. 3D bioprinting allows for deposition and patterning of biological materials with high spatial resolution. This project aims to develop a biomimetic 3D bioprinted meniscal substitute. Meniscal tissue was characterised to effectively inform the design of biomaterials for bioprinting constructs with appropriate structural and functional properties. Histology, gene expression and mass spectrometry were performed on native tissue to investigate tissue architecture, matrix components, cell populations and protein expression regionally across the meniscus. 3D laser scanning and magnetic resonance imaging were employed to acquire the external geometrical information prior to fabrication of a 3D printed meniscus. Bioink suitability was investigated through regional meniscal cell encapsulation in blended hydrogels, with the incorporation of growth factors and assessed for their suitability through rheology, scanning electron microscopy, histology and gene expression analysis. Meniscal tissue characterisation revealed regional variations in matrix compositions, cellular populations and protein expression. The process of imaging through to 3D printing highlighted the capability of producing a construct that accurately replicated meniscal geometries. Regional meniscal cell encapsulation into hydrogels revealed a recovery in cell phenotype, with the incorporation of growth factors into the bioink's stimulating cellular re-differentiation and improved zonal functionality. Meniscus biofabrication highlights the potential to print patient specific, customisable meniscal implants. Achieving zonally distinct variations in cell and matrix deposition highlights the ability to fabricate a highly complex tissue engineered construct. Acknowledgements: This work was undertaken as part of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)-funded CDT in Advanced Biomedical Materials

Arthrofibrosis is a less common complication following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and there are concerns that undergoing early surgery may be associated with arthrofibrosis. The aim of this study was to identify the patient and surgical risk factors for arthrofibrosis following primary ACL reconstruction. Primary ACL reconstructions prospectively recorded in the New Zealand ACL Registry between April 2014 and December 2019 were analyzed. The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) database was used to identify patients who underwent a subsequent reoperation with review of operation notes to identify those who had a reoperation for “arthrofibrosis” or “stiffness”. Univariate Chi-Square test and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed to identify the risk factors for arthrofibrosis. 9617 primary ACL reconstructions were analyzed, of which 215 patients underwent a subsequent reoperation for arthrofibrosis (2.2%). A higher risk of arthrofibrosis was observed in female patients (adjusted HR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.22 – 2.27, p = 0.001), patients with a history of previous knee surgery (adjusted HR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.11 – 3.50, p = 0.021) and when a transtibial femoral tunnel drilling technique was used (adjusted HR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.06 – 2.28, p = 0.024). Patients who underwent early ACL reconstruction within 6 weeks of their injury did not have a higher risk of arthrofibrosis when compared to patients who underwent surgery more than 6 weeks after their injury (3.5% versus 2.1%, adjusted HR = 1.56, 95% CI 0.97 – 2.50, p = 0.07). Age, graft type and concomitant meniscal injury did not influence the rate of arthrofibrosis. Female sex, a history of previous knee surgery and a transtibial femoral tunnel drilling technique are risk factors for arthrofibrosis following primary ACL reconstruction

Background. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with concomitant meniscal injury occurs frequently. Meniscal repair is associated with improved long-term outcomes compared to resection but is also associated with a higher reoperation rate. Knowledge of the risk factors for repair failure may be important in optimizing patient outcomes. Purpose. This study aimed to identify the patient and surgical risk factors for meniscal repair failure, defined as a subsequent meniscectomy, following concurrent primary ACL reconstruction. Methods. Data recorded by the New Zealand ACL Registry and the Accident Compensation Corporation, the New Zealand Government's sole funder of ACL reconstructions and any subsequent surgery, was reviewed. Meniscal repairs performed with concurrent primary ACL reconstruction was included. Root repairs were excluded. Univariate and multivariate survival analysis was performed to identify the patient and surgical risk factors for meniscal repair failure. Results. Between 2014 and 2020, a total of 3,024 meniscal repairs were performed during concurrent primary ACL reconstruction (medial repair = 1,814 and lateral repair = 1,210). The overall failure rate was 6.6% (n = 201) at a mean follow-up of 2.9 years, with a failure occurring in 7.8% of medial meniscal repairs (142 out of 1,814) and 4.9% of lateral meniscal repairs (59 out of 1,210). The risk of medial failure was higher in patients with a hamstring tendon autograft (adjusted HR = 2.20, p = 0.001), patients aged 21–30 years (adjusted HR = 1.60, p = 0.037) and in those with cartilage injury in the medial compartment (adjusted HR = 1.75, p = 0.002). The risk of lateral failure was higher in patients aged ≤ 20 years (adjusted HR = 2.79, p = 0.021) and when the procedure was performed by a surgeon with an annual ACL reconstruction case volume of less than 30 (adjusted HR = 1.84, p = 0.026). Conclusion. When performing meniscal repair during a primary ACL reconstruction, the use of a hamstring tendon autograft, younger age and the presence of concomitant cartilage injury in the medial compartment increases the risk of medial meniscal repair failure, whereas younger age and low surgeon volume increases the risk of lateral meniscal repair failure

The primary purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the impact of physical and mental well-being on a successful return to work after cartilage or ligament knee injury. A secondary purpose was to examine the effectiveness of our program regarding ordering imaging (plain X-rays, US, MRI, CT scan), and the impact that costly investigations made in clinical management. Workers who had sustained a work-related knee injury and were assessed at the lower extremity specialty clinic of our hospital program were followed up until they were discharged. All patients completed the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) on the initial assessment and at final follow-up. We included 30 patients, mean age, 50(9), 11(37%) females, 19(63%) males. The most common mechanisms of injury were twisting (13, 45%) and falls (12, 41%). The knee injuries included 10 anterior collateral ligament (ACL), 3 posterior collateral ligament (PCL), 19 medical and lateral ligament injuries, and 22 meniscus injuries with some injuries overlapping. Ten patients (30%) underwent surgery (8 meniscectomy, two ligamentous repairs). Patients showed improvement in pain scores (p<0.0001) and the LEFS scores (p=0.004). Seventeen patients (57%) returned to full-time work and 11 (37%) were not working at the time of discharge with one patient performing part-time work, and one on re-training. Higher levels of pre (p=0.02) and post-treatment (p=0.03) depression and post-treatment anxiety (p=0.02) had a negative impact on a successful return to work. Most clients had proper investigations ordered by their family physicians in the community (24 plain x-rays, 11 US, and 21 MRI). Our team ordered only 6 plain x-rays and 6 new MRI. We found significant improvement in pain and disability in injured workers who received an expedited multidisciplinary care. Anxiety and depression were the most important predictors of poorer recovery and a less successful work status. The judicious use of costly imaging is expected to reduce the overall health care cost of an injury, while providing new important information such as adding a new diagnosis or changing the management

AIM. We aim to identify whether meniscal repair at the time of ACL reconstruction was associated with a better outcome than meniscectomy. Method. We prospectively collected data on 233 consecutive patients undergoing ACL reconstruction in our unit. A four strand autologous hamstring graft was used with suspensory femoral fixation, and a tibial interference screw. At surgery the presence and location of chondral and meniscal injuries was noted, and whether the meniscal lesion was resected or repaired. Patients were reviewed and scored by a specialist physiotherapist practitioner pre-operatively, and at 6, 12, and 24 months. Tegner, Lysholm, and Cincinatti knee scores were used. Results. At surgey 58% of patients had a meniscal injury, of which 51% were medial and 36% were lateral. 13% had injury to both medial and lateral menisci. 26% of these were repaired. 23% of patients had an associated chondral injury of which 55% involved the medial femoral condyle. The presence of a meniscal injury did not correlate with a worse outcome (Tegner, Lysholm and Cincinatti). There was no difference in outcome whether a meniscal tear was repaired or resected. Lateral meniscus injuries were associated with a worse outcome at 2 years than medial meniscus injuries (Lysholm p= 0.013). Chondral injury was associated with a worse outcome at 2 years. Age over 40 years was associated with a higher incidence of chondral injury (51%) and with a worse outcome. Conclusion. We found that lateral meniscal injury was associated with poorer outcome when compared to medial meniscal injury. This was found to be statistically significant. We found that associated chondral injury at the time of surgery to be a better predictor of poor outcome than meniscal injury. Meniscal repair did not seem to confer a discernable improvement in outcome at 2 years over meniscectomy

Abstract. Introduction. The outcome of revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) is guarded, particularly their return to sports activities. It is important to know the factors affecting the functional outcomes following a revision ACL-R. Methods. We analysed results from 39 patients, who underwent a revision ACL reconstruction by a single surgeon and was followed up over a year. Some of them were treated in 2-stage revision while the rest were single-stage revision, depending upon their size of bone tunnel or osteolysis as assessed by pre-operative CT scan. Result. We analysed data from 39 patients with a mean age of 31 (17–52) and an average follow-up of 3.6 years (2–5 years). The average KOOS quality of life score was 58.94 (±23.02) and the mean Lysholm score was 89.48 (±10.1). Medial meniscal tear was significantly correlated with Lysholm score (p<0.005), but not with KOOS-QOL. Tear in lateral meniscus was not related significantly. Patients having Grade II or above cartilage damage showed inferior outcomes in terms of Lysholm score and poor return to sports, and it was statistically significant (p<0.02). There was no significant differences in outcomes between single stage revision and 2-stage revision (p=0.336). 15 patients (42.5%) returned to their pre-injury sports activities after revision surgery with the mean return to sports score of 58.65 (±16.1). Conclusions. The long-term functional outcome after revision ACL reconstruction is satisfactory, but not the return to sports. Expectations on outcome should be carefully managed particularly those having concomitant medial meniscal injury or cartilage damage

Although remnant-preserved ACL reconstruction (ACLR) restores knee joint stability and dampens the problem of acute ACL rupture-induced knee pain, an increasing number of patients still develop post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) after 10 to 15 years of ACLR. We previously found that remnant-preserved ACLR with concomitant medial and lateral meniscus repair may not prevent cartilage degeneration and weaken muscle strength, while the clinical features of PTOA are not clear. We hypothesized that remnant-preserved ACLR with concomitant medial and lateral meniscus tears is related to early cartilage damage, worse function recovery, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and delayed duration to return to sports. The aim is to evaluate the remnant-preserved ACLR with complicated meniscal injuries in predicting which patients are at higher risk of osteoarthritic changes, worse function and limited activities after ACLR for 12 months. Human ethical issue was approved by a committee from Xi'an Jiaotong University. 26 young and active patients (24 male, 2 female) with ACL injuries (Sherman type I and II) with concomitant medial and lateral meniscus within 2 months were included from January 2014 to March 2022. The average age of the ACLR+ meniscus repair was 26.77±1.52 (8 right, 5 left) and isolated ACLR control was 31.92±2.61 years old (7 left, 6 right). Remnant-preserved ACLR with a 5- to 6-strand hamstring tendon graft was operated on by the same sports medicine specialists. MRI CUBE-T. 2. scanning with 48 channels was conducted by a professional radiologist. The volume of the ACL graft was created through 3 dimensional MRI model (Mimics 19, Ann Arbor). Anterior Cruciate Ligament OsteoArthritis Score (ACLOAS) was applied to score visible cartilage damage. IKDC 2000 score and VAS were assessed by two blinded researchers. Results were presented as mean± SEM of each group. The cross-sectional area and 3D volume of the ACL graft were greater in the remnant-preserved ACLR+meniscus group compared with isolated ACLR (p=0.01). It showed that ACLR+ meniscus group had early signs of joint damage and delayed meniscus healing regarding ACLOAS compared to control group (p=0.045). MRI CUBE-T. 2. prediction of radiographic cartilage degeneration was not obvious in both groups post remnant-preserved ACLR over 12 months (p>0.05). However, higher VAS scores, lower IKDC scores, and long-last joint swelling were reported in the ACLR+ meniscus repair group at the end of 12 months follow-up. Although remnant-preserved ACLR+ meniscus was able to maintain the restore the knee function, it showed delayed timing (>12 months) to return to play at the pre-injury stage, while no difference between the timing of returning to the normal daily routine of their ACLR knee compared to control (p=0.30). The cost of ACLR+ meniscus (average 10,520.76$) was higher than the control group (6,452.92$, p=0.018). Remnants-preserved ACLR with concomitant injured medial and lateral meniscus repair shows a higher risk of cartilage damage, greater cost, worse functional performance, and longer time for young male patients to return to sports after 12-month follow-up compared to isolated ACLR. Further evidence and long-term follow-up are needed to better understand the association between these results and the risk of development of PTOA in this patient cohort

Varus malalignment increases the susceptibility of cartilage to mechanical overloading, which stimulates catabolic metabolism to break down the extracellular matrix and lead to osteoarthritis (OA). The altered mechanical axis from the hip, knee to ankle leads to knee joint pain and ensuing cartilage wear and deterioration, which impact millions of the aged population. Stabilization of the remaining damaged cartilage, and prevention of further deterioration, could provide immense clinical utility and prolong joint function. Our previous work showed that high tibial osteotomy (HTO) could shift the mechanical stress from an imbalanced status to a neutral alignment. However, the underlying mechanisms of endogenous cartilage stabilization after HTO remain unclear. We hypothesize that cartilage-resident mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) dampen damaged cartilage injury and promote endogenous repair in a varus malaligned knee. The goal of this study is to further examine whether HTO-mediated off-loading would affect human cartilage-resident MSCs' anabolic and catabolic metabolism. This study was approved by IACUC at Xi'an Jiaotong University. Patients with medial compartment OA (52.75±6.85 yrs, left knee 18, right knee 20) underwent open-wedge HTO by the same surgeons at one single academic sports medicine center. Clinical data was documented by the Epic HIS between the dates of April 2019 and April 2022 and radiographic images were collected with a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. Medial compartment OA with/without medial meniscus injury patients with unilateral Kellgren /Lawrence grade 3–4 was confirmed by X-ray. All incisions of the lower extremity healed well after the HTO operation without incision infection. Joint space width (JSW) was measured by uploading to ImageJ software. The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) toolkit was applied to assess the pain level. Outerbridge scores were obtained from a second-look arthroscopic examination. RNA was extracted to quantify catabolic targets and pro-inflammatory genes (QiaGen). Student's t test for two group comparisons and ANOVA analysis for differences between more than 2 groups were utilized. To understand the role of mechanical loading-induced cartilage repair, we measured the serial changes of joint space width (JSW) after HTO for assessing the state of the cartilage stabilization. Our data showed that HTO increased the JSW, decreased the VAS score and improved the KOOS score significantly. We further scored cartilage lesion severity using the Outerbridge classification under a second-look arthroscopic examination while removing the HTO plate. It showed the cartilage lesion area decreased significantly, the full thickness of cartilage increased and mechanical strength was better compared to the pre-HTO baseline. HTO dampened medial tibiofemoral cartilage degeneration and accelerate cartilage repair from Outerbridge grade 2 to 3 to Outerbridge 0 to 1 compared to untreated varus OA. It suggested that physical loading was involved in HTO-induced cartilage regeneration. Given that HTO surgery increases joint space width and creates a physical loading environment, we hypothesize that HTO could increase cartilage composition and collagen accumulation. Consistent with our observation, a group of cartilage-resident MSCs was identified. Our data further showed decreased expression of RUNX2, COL10 and increased SOX9 in MSCs at the RNA level, indicating that catabolic activities were halted during mechanical off-loading. To understand the role of cartilage-resident MSCs in cartilage repair in a biophysical environment, we investigated the differentiation potential of MSCs under 3-dimensional mechanical loading conditions. The physical loading inhibited catabolic markers (IL-1 and IL-6) and increased anabolic markers (SOX9, COL2). Knee-preserved HTO intervention alleviates varus malalignment-related knee joint pain, improves daily and recreation function, and repairs degenerated cartilage of medial compartment OA. The off-loading effect of HTO may allow the mechanoregulation of cartilage repair through the differentiation of endogenous cartilage-derived MSCs