POSTER ABSTRACTS - ISAKOS

E-poster #736
The Pattern of Meniscal Pathology
Royden Harvey Austin, Liverpool, UNITED
KINGDOM, Presenter
Richard W Parkinson, Neston, Cheshire UNITED
KINGDOM
Wirral Hospital NHS Trust, Upton, UNITED
KINGDOM
The pattern of meniscal pathology was last
reported upon by Dandy in 1990. He commented
on the findings of over 1000 arthroscopies noting
the demography of the patient and the pattern
and extent of injury.
We have collected the data on greater than 1000
arthroscopies performed by a single surgeon over
a 10 year period in order to revisit the pattern of
injury. Also change in practise, positive scope
rate and re-scope rate was analysed.
E-poster #737
Meniscal Repair with an Absorbable Screw
(Clearfix)
Dimitrios Stylianos Mastrokalos, USA, Presenter
Elias S Kotsovolos, Ioannina, GREECE
Michael Elias Hantes, Larisa, GREECE
Hans H Paessler, Heidelberg, GERMANY
ATOS-Clinic Heidelberg, Heidelberg, GERMANY
The results of a new method for arthroscopic allinside
meniscus repair using a biodegradable
cannulated screw (Clearfix meniscal screw) were
assessed in a medium-term follow-up prospective
study.
The Clearfix meniscal screw system consists of
delivery cannulae, screw driver, and screw
implants. After tear debridement, a screw is
located on the driver and passed through the
cannula to the insertion site, holding the two
sides of the tear together under linear
compression. Forty-eight patients (48 repairs)
with a mean age of 32.7 years were included in the
study. Ligament stabilizing procedures were done
in 39 patients (81%) who had anterior cruciate
ligament deficient knees. Only longitudinal
lesions in the red/red or red/white zone were
repaired. Follow-up averaged 19 months with a
range from 12 to 48 months. Patients were
evaluated using clinical examination, the OAK
knee evaluation scheme and magnetic resonance
imaging. Criteria for clinical success included
absence of joint line tenderness, swelling and a
negative McMurray test.
Postoperatively, there were no complications
directly associated with the device. Twelve of 48
repaired menisci (25%) were considered failures
according to the above mentioned criteria.
According to the OAK knee evaluation scheme 38
patients (79%) had excellent or good result.
Magnetic resonance imaging, however, showed
persisting grade 3 or 4 lesions in 35 (73%)
patients.
Analysis showed that age, length of tear, and
simultaneous anterior cruciate ligament
reconstruction did not affect the clinical outcome.
In contrast, risk factors for failure of meniscus
repair are chronicity of injury, location of tear
more than 3 mm from the meniscosynovial
junction and meniscus side (medial).
E-poster #738
Early Results of Arthroscopic All-inside
Meniscus Repair Using the Fast-Fix
Michael Elias Hantes, Larisa, GREECE,
Elias S Kotsovolos, Ioannina, GREECE
Jarg Ammenwerth, Heidelberg, GERMANY
Olaf Lohrbach, Heidelberg, GERMANY
Dimitrios Stylianos Mastrokalos, Dionysos, Attiki
USA, Presenter
Hans H Paessler, Heidelberg, GERMANY
ATOS-Klinik, Heidelberg, GERMANY
The early results of a new method for arthroscopic
all-inside meniscus repair using the Fast-FixTM
(Smith & Nephew) suture system were assessed in
a prospective study.
Fifty-eight patients (61 repairs) with a mean age
of 32.6 years were included in the study. Ligament
stabilizing procedures were done in 39 cases
(64%) who had anterior cruciate ligament
deficient knees. Only longitudinal lesions in the
red/red or red/white zone were repaired. Follow-up
averaged 12.6 months with a range from 6 to 25
months. Patients were evaluated using clinical
examination, the OAK knee evaluation scheme,
the Tegner score and magnetic resonance
imaging. Criteria for clinical success included
absence of joint line tenderness, swelling and a
negative McMurray test.
Six of 61 repaired menisci (9.8%) were considered
failures according to the above mentioned criteria.
Postoperatively, there were no complications
directly associated with the device. According to
the OAK knee evaluation scheme 53 patients
(87%) had excellent or good result. Magnetic
resonance imaging , however, showed persisting
grade III or IV lesions in 25 (45.5%) of 55 cases