Asia Pac J Sports Med Arthrosc Rehabil Technol. 2025 Oct 17;42:74-80. doi: 10.1016/j.asmart.2025.09.004. eCollection 2025 Oct.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the healing rate of meniscal repair concomitant with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and isolated meniscal repair based on Intrameniscal signal intensity (IMSI).
METHODS: A total of 368 patients who underwent meniscus repair between March 2011 and July 2017 by an experienced single surgeon were enrolled. 228 patients were divided into the meniscus repair concomitant with ACL reconstruction (group A, n = 171) and isolated meniscal repair group (group B, n = 57). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively, measurements were conducted from the most prominent slice of meniscal tear (PSMT). IMSI of the PSMT was measured with the free line region-of-interest (ROI) tool in a picture archiving and communication system.
RESULTS: Except for time of accident, no significant differences were found in terms of age, body mass index, posterior slope angle, or varus angle between two groups. There were statistically significant differences of post-operative adjusted mean IMSI of patients between the two groups using ANCOVA. The corrected postoperative adjusted mean IMSI in the coronal view of group A was an estimated mean (SD) of 1.44(0.08), and in group B was an estimated mean (SD) of 2.55(0.15). All the P-values were less than 0.05, which was the same compared with MRI values for healed meniscus.
CONCLUSIONS: IMSI is a simple and conventional parameter for the assessment of meniscal healing. The healing rate of meniscal repair concomitant with ACL reconstruction compared with isolated meniscal repair using IMSI was similar to that of MRI reading. Thus, concomitant ACL reconstruction significantly improves the healing process of meniscus.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE AND STUDY DESIGN: Case control study.
PMID:41147015 | PMC:PMC12554083 | DOI:10.1016/j.asmart.2025.09.004
