Outcome of arthroscopic all-inside repair using puncture needle combined with suture hook for the treatment of meniscal tear in popliteal hiatus region / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the outcomes of arthroscopic all-inside repair using puncture needle combined with suture hook versus meniscus repair device Fast-Fix for the treatment of meniscal tear in popliteal hiatus region.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was performed on the clinical data of 48 patients with meniscal tear in popliteal hiatus region admitted to Second People′s Hospital of Fujian Province from January 2014 to December 2017. There were 32 males and 16 females, aged 16-44 years [(28.0±7.8)years]. A total of 25 patients were treated with arthroscopic all-inside repair using puncture needle combined with suture hook (needle-hook group) and 23 patients were treated with meniscus repair device Fast-Fix (Fast-Fix group). The operation time and intraoperative blood loss were compared between the two groups. The function of knee joint was evaluated by Lysholm score, Tegner score and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score before operation, at 6 months after operation and at the last follow-up. The meniscal healing rate was evaluated by MRI scan at the last follow-up. During the period of follow-up, the incidence of complications (infection, popliteal tendon injury, foreign body irritation, etc.) was compared between the two groups.Results:All patients were followed up for 24-36 months [(25.8±2.5)months]. No significant differences were observed in operation time and intraoperative blood loss between the two groups (all P>0.05). The preoperative Lysholm score, Tegner score and IKDC score were not significantly different between the two groups (all P>0.05). The Lysholm score, Tegner score and IKDC score in needle-hook group were (96.7±3.8)points, (4.3±1.6)points and (95.5±5.4)points at 6 months after operation, significantly higher than those in Fast-Fix group [(93.3±1.6)points, (3.6±0.8)points, (91.9±0.8)points] (all P<0.05). The Lysholm score, Tegner score and IKDC score in needle-hook group were (99.6±1.3)points, (6.1±0.8)points and (99.4±0.2)points at the last follow-up, significantly higher than those in Fast-Fix group [(94.5±1.6)points, (4.8±0.2)points and (97.4±0.5)points] (all P<0.01). The above three scoring systems scored significantly higher in the two groups at 6 months after operation and at the last follow-up than those before operation (all P<0.01). MRI scan showed that the meniscus healing rate in needle-hook group was 92% (23/25) at the last follow-up, higher than 70% (16/23) in Fast-Fix group ( P<0.05). During the period of follow-up, no complication was observed in needle-hook group, but 6 patients [26% (6/23)] in Fast-Fix group had discomfort in the posterolateral muscle of the knee, which was related to popliteal tendon injury or foreign body irritation ( P<0.01). Conclusion:For meniscal tear in popliteal hiatus region, arthroscopic all-inside repair using puncture needle combined with suture hook is superior to meniscus repair device Fast-Fix in aspects of better knee function, higher meniscus healing rate and lower complication rate.