Early Surgery Versus Exercise Therapy and Patient Education for Traumatic and Nontraumatic Meniscal Tears in Young Adults-An Exploratory Analysis From the DREAM Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of early meniscal surgery versus exercise and education with the option of later surgery on pain, function, and quality of life in young patients with a meniscal tear, taking symptom onset into account. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. METHODS: In a randomized controlled trial (the "Danish RCT on Exercise versus Arthroscopic Meniscal surgery for young adults" [DREAM] trial), 121 patients aged 18-40 years with a magnetic resonance imaging-verified meniscal tear were randomized to surgery or 12 weeks of supervised exercise and patient education. For this exploratory study, the analyses were stratified by symptom onset (traumatic/nontraumatic). The main outcome was the difference in change after 12 months in the mean score of 4 Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score subscales (KOOS4) covering pain, symptoms, function in sport and recreation, and quality of life. RESULTS: Forty-two patients (69%) in the exercise therapy group and 47 (78%) in the surgery group were categorized as having a traumatic tear. We observed no difference in change in the KOOS4 after 12 months between the 2 treatment groups for either traumatic tears (18.8 versus 16.0 in the surgery versus exercise therapy groups; adjusted mean difference, 4.8 [95% confidence interval, -1.7 to 11.2]) or nontraumatic tears (20.6 versus 17.3 in the surgery versus exercise therapy groups; adjusted mean difference, 7.0 [95% confidence interval, -3.7 to 17.7]). CONCLUSION: In patients with traumatic and nontraumatic meniscus tears, early meniscal surgery did not appear superior to exercise and education in improving pain, function, and quality of life after 12 months. Further research is needed to confirm the clinical applicability of these findings. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2024;54(5):1-10. Epub 22 February 2024. doi:10.2519/jospt.2024.12245.

Effect of exercise therapy versus surgery on mechanical symptoms in young patients with a meniscal tear: a secondary analysis of the DREAM trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of early surgery versus exercise and education on mechanical symptoms and other patient-reported outcomes in patients aged 18-40 years with a meniscal tear and self-reported mechanical knee symptoms. METHODS: In a randomised controlled trial, 121 patients aged 18-40 years with a MRI-verified meniscal tear were randomised to surgery or 12-week supervised exercise and education. For this study, 63 patients (33 and 30 patients in the surgery and in the exercise group, respectively) reporting baseline mechanical symptoms were included. The main outcome was self-reported mechanical symptoms (yes/no) at 3, 6 and 12 months assessed using a single item from the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Secondary outcomes were KOOS4 and the 5 KOOS-subscales and the Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool (WOMET). RESULTS: In total, 55/63 patients completed the 12-month follow-up. At 12 months, 9/26 (35%) in the surgery group and 20/29 (69%) in the exercise group reported mechanical symptoms. The risk difference and relative risk at any time point was 28.7% (95% CI 8.6% to 48.8%) and 1.83 (95% CI 0.98 to 2.70) of reporting mechanical symptoms in the exercise group compared with the surgery group. We did not detect any between-group differences in the secondary outcomes. CONCLUSION: The results from this secondary analysis suggest that early surgery is more effective than exercise and education for relieving self-reported mechanical knee symptoms, but not for improving pain, function and quality of life in young patients with a meniscal tear and mechanical symptoms. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02995551.

Anatomical reconstruction of the medial collateral ligament and posteromedial corner of the knee in patients with chronic medial collateral ligament instability.

BACKGROUND: In cases of multiple ligament injury or severe medial collateral ligament (MCL) lesion, nonoperative treatment of the MCL lesion may lead to chronic valgus instability or rotatory instability. HYPOTHESIS: In a retrospective case series after isolated and combined MCL reconstructions using a novel MCL reconstruction technique that addresses both the MCL and the posteromedial corner, an acceptable clinical outcome is expected 2 years after MCL reconstruction. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: From July 2002 to December 2005, 61 patients with grade 3 or 4 medial instability were treated with MCL reconstruction. Median age was 33 years (range, 14-62). Thirteen underwent isolated MCL reconstructions, 34 had combined MCL and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, and 14 had multiple ligament reconstructions. All patients had reconstruction of the medial collateral and the posteromedial complex using ipsilateral semitendinosus autografts. Fifty patients were available for follow-up more than 24 months postoperatively and were examined by an independent observer using objective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) measures and subjective Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). RESULTS: At follow-up, medial stability according to the IKDC score showed 98% normal or nearly normal (grade A or B), and for overall IKDC score, patients improved from 5% with grade A or B preoperatively to 74% with grade A or B at follow-up. There were 91% who were satisfied or very satisfied with the result; 88% would go through surgery again. The KOOS improved primarily for sports and quality of life subscales with approximately 10-point improvements. CONCLUSION: Acceptable clinical results with the MCL reconstruction technique were achieved in patients suffering from chronic valgus instability.