2025 ISAKOS Biennial Congress ePoster
All-Inside Repair Tethered To The Popliteal Tendon Is An Effective And Safe Option For The Treatment Of Unstable Lateral Meniscus Injuries
Vitor Barion Castro De Padua, PhD, Sao Paulo, SP BRAZIL
Enzo Salviato Mameri, MD, MSc, São Paulo, São Paulo BRAZIL
José Leonardo Rocha De Faria , MD, MSc, PhD, Rio De Janeiro, RJ BRAZIL
Pedro Baches Jorge, PhD, São Paulo, SP BRAZIL
Carlos E. S. Franciozi, MD, PhD, Prof., São Paulo, SP BRAZIL
Diego Escudeiro, MSc BRAZIL
Diego Ariel De Lima, MD, PhD, Mossoro, RN BRAZIL
Sergio Marinho De Gusmão Canuto, Maceió , Alagoas BRAZIL
Camilo P. Helito, MD, PhD, Prof, São Paulo, SP BRAZIL
Universidade de Marilia, Marilia, São Paulo, BRAZIL
FDA Status Not Applicable
Summary
This study retrospectively evaluated the outcomes of lateral meniscus repair to the popliteal tendon using an anchor-based all-inside device, revealing effective and safe results with good postoperative outcomes, similar activity levels to pre-injury, and low complication and reoperation rates at a minimum of 1-year follow-up.
ePosters will be available shortly before Congress
Abstract
Purpose
Unstable lateral meniscus tears, particularly mid-body and posterior horn tears, present a surgical challenge due to the thin adjacent posterior capsule. Meniscal repair with an anchor-based all-inside device fixed to the popliteal tendon offers a potential solution for stable fixation, but its effectiveness and safety still need to be confirmed.
Objective
The present study aims to evaluate the postoperative outcomes of lateral meniscus repair to the popliteal tendon, as well as its failure rates, and complications.
Methods
This retrospective case series involved patients who underwent lateral meniscus repair to the popliteal tendon using an anchor-based all-inside device, with or without associated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, between 2019 and 2024, with a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. Patients were contacted to identify any complaints of pain, locking, swelling, or if they required an additional surgical procedure. Postoperative patient-reported outcomes were collected, including the Subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Lysholm, and Tegner scores. The medical records were reviewed to analyze associated procedures, the type of meniscal tears, and the number of sutures used.
Results
Twenty-eight patients (7 female, 21 male) were eligible for final inclusion, with a mean age of 32.2±11.5 (16-54) years, at a mean 32.6±11.88 (13-57) months follow-up. Twenty-two subjects underwent associated primary ACL reconstruction, 3 subjects underwent associated revision ACL reconstruction, and 3 patients underwent isolated meniscal repair. Intra-operatively, lateral meniscal repair to the popliteus tendon required a mean 1.6±0.8 all-inside devices (1-4). Only one patient required revision surgery (1/28, 3.5%), due to repair failure.The mean postoperative Lysholm score was 82.88±16.04 (42-100), and the mean postoperative IKDC score was 68.35±17.75 (26-90). Fifty-three percent of patients (15/28) achieved a minimum of 69.0 IKDC score, which in prior literature was found to be the patient acceptable symptomatic state, specific to meniscal repair (Maheshwer et al. 2021). The mean pre-injury Tegner score was 5,29±2.49 (1-10) and postoperative 4,92±2.65 (1-10). No significant differences were observed between pre-injury and postoperative Tegner scores, indicating that patients returned to their previous level of activity. There were no reported complications related to suture placement in the popliteal tendon.
Conclusion
All-inside lateral meniscus repair to the popliteal tendon proved to be an effective – with good postoperative patient reported outcomes and postoperative activity similar to preinjury levels – and safe procedure – with low complication and reoperation rates – at a minimum 1 year follow up. These results suggest that this technique is a viable option for treating unstable lateral meniscus tears.