Morphological changes observed on serial magnetic resonance imaging of repaired medial meniscal horizontal cleavage tears.

Abstract

To investigate the healing rate and postoperative changes on serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of horizontal cleavage tears (HCTs) repaired using outside-in vertical suture technique. Thirty patients who underwent meniscal repair for HCTs between November 2019 and October 2022 were enrolled. Surgeries were performed using outside-in vertical sutures with a spinal needle and suture hook with two shuttle relays. The sagittal meniscal width (SMW) and sagittal meniscal height (SMH) were measured using MRI preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and 2 years postoperatively. Compared with preoperative MRI, immediate postoperative MRI revealed decreased SMW and increased SMH, resulting in a trapezoidal shape. However, over time, the 2-year postoperative MRI showed increased width and decreased height compared with the immediate postoperative MRI, suggesting that this contributes to remodeling into a triangular shape. The outside-in vertical suture technique for HCTs showed good clinical outcomes and successful healing of the repaired HCTs on serial postoperative MRI.