Meniscal Tear Repaired With Fast-Fix Device: Clinical Results In ACL-deficient Knees

Objective:The purpose of this study was to analyze symptomatic relief and functional recovery results of meniscal tears repaired with Fast-Fix All-inside suture technology, and evaluate the healing rate of repaired meniscus.Compare the treatment effect of meniscus repaire only and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction combined with meniscus suture.Methods:Retrospective analyzed and followed up 78 patients were treated with Fast-Fix All-inside suture technology.The condition of these patients all meet the inclusion criteria of this study, follow up time is 12 months. These patients were divided into two groups(A and B) based on whether combined anterior cruciate ligament injury.Lysholm score and VAS score are used to evaluate the symptomatic relief and functional recovery of knee.Barrett criteria is used to analysis the the clinical healing rate. Evaluated the treatment effect of Fast-Fix All-inside suture technology in treatment with meniscal tears. Analyzed the treament effect of the two group have statistical significance or not. Statistical analysis was performed using the Student’s t test and chi-square test.Results:78 patients are followed up in this study and the follow-up time is19±12months.Group A(meniscal repair) include 42 patients and Group B(meniscal repair +ACL reconstruction) include 36 patients.Group A:the Lysholm score significantly improved from 53.52±15.72 preoperatively to 86.67±9.37 postoperatively(P<0.01),the VAS score significantly improved from 5.5±0.8 preoperatively to 1.7±0.5 postoperatively(P<0.01). According to the Barrett criteria,the meniscus of 9 patients is not repaired.The clinical healing rate is 78.6%.Group B: the Lysholm score significantly improved from47.53±13.38 preoperatively to 83.03±9.26 postoperatively(P<0.01), the VAS score significantly improved from 5.9±0.5 preoperatively to 1.8±0.7 postoperatively(P<0.01).The meniscus of 2 patients is not repaired and the clinical healing rate is 94.4%.Neurovascular injury and other serious complication did not occur in our study.Conclusion:The technique of meniscal repair using the Fast-Fix device is safe and effective for the treatment of meniscal tears with or without simultaneous ACL reconstruction.The two groups have not statistical significance in symptomatic relief(VAS score) and functional recovery(Lysholm score).The group B(meniscal repair + ACL reconstruction) get a higher rate of clinical healing than group A.