Pullout Fixation of Posterior Medial Meniscus Root Tears: Correlation Between Meniscus Extrusion and Midterm Clinical Results

Abstract

Background: Medial meniscus posterior root tears (MMPRTs) lead to extrusion of the meniscus during weightbearing as well as loss of the ability of the meniscus to generate hoop stress. This loss of load-sharing ability leads to progressive arthritic changes. However, there have been no studies that correlate the correction of meniscus extrusion with clinical outcomes.

Hypothesis: Decreased meniscus extrusion is associated with better clinical and radiographic outcomes compared with increased meniscus extrusion after MMPRT pullout fixation.

Study design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: A total of 39 patients who underwent MMPRT pullout fixation and had been observed for more than 5 years were recruited for this study. The mean follow-up period was 69.8 months. Participants were categorized into 2 groups according to the direction of meniscus extrusion: group A (increased extrusion; 23 patients) and group B (decreased extrusion; 16 patients). Meniscus extrusion was assessed in the coronal plane on magnetic resonance imaging preoperatively and at 1 year postoperatively. The postoperative clinical outcomes (Lysholm and International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC] scores) and radiographic results (Kellgren-Lawrence [K-L] grade and medial joint space) were compared between groups.

Results: Meniscus extrusion in group A increased significantly from a mean (±SD) of 3.5 ± 0.9 mm preoperatively to 5.1 ± 1.4 mm at 1 year postoperatively ( P < .001), whereas in group B, it decreased significantly from 4.1 ± 1.3 mm preoperatively to 3.5 ± 1.4 mm at 1 year postoperatively ( P < .001). The K-L arthritis grade (0/1/2/3/4) significantly progressed in group A (from 2/12/9/0/0 preoperatively to 0/1/14/8/0 postoperatively, respectively; P = .009) but not in group B (from 1/11/4/0/0 preoperatively to 0/6/8/2/0 postoperatively, respectively; P = .274). The mean final Lysholm and IKDC scores in group B (88.1 ± 12.1 and 79.0 ± 11.4, respectively) were significantly better than those in group A (81.0 ± 9.0 and 71.1 ± 7.8, respectively) ( P < .05). There was less medial joint space narrowing at final follow-up in group B (0.6 ± 0.8 mm) than in group A (1.1 ± 0.6 mm) ( P = .015). Progression of the K-L arthritis grade was seen in 50% (8/16) of the patients in group B compared with 87% (20/23) of the patients in group A ( P = .027).

Conclusion: The current study demonstrates that in patients with MMPRTs, pullout fixation leads to favorable midterm outcomes, regardless of meniscus extrusion at 1-year follow-up. However, patients with decreased meniscus extrusion at postoperative 1 year have more favorable clinical scores and radiographic findings at midterm follow-up than those with increased extrusion at 1 year. This study indicates that one of the main goals of the repair of MMPRTs is to reduce meniscus extrusion as much as possible.

Keywords: extrusion; knee; meniscus; posterior root tear; pullout fixation.