Open meniscal repair: Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings after twelve years

The purpose of this study was to document the longterm clinical, radiograph ic, and magnetic resonance imaging results after open meniscal repair. Twen ty-two patients, with 23 open meniscal repairs, were evaluated after a mean follow-up of 12.9 years using patient history, physical examination, KT-10 00 arthrometer testing, the "Orthopaedische Arbeitsgemeinschaft Knie" knee evaluation scheme, Tegner activity score, weightbearing radiographs, and ma gnetic resonance imaging. Two of the 22 patients had retears and both occur red in unstable knees. Radiographs revealed no degenerative changes in 17 o f the 23 compartments. Grade III and IV signal alterations were present on magnetic resonance imaging scans in more than 50% of the repaired menisci. We concluded that the longterm survival rate of repaired menisci was 91%, a nd that magnetic resonance imaging is unsuitable for diagnosis of the heali ng process of a repaired meniscus.