Meniscal repair: a review of current practice

Symptomatic meniscal tears have, until recently, been treated with partial or total meniscectomy, with the inevitable consequential development of arthritis. After a tear, retaining as much functional meniscus as possible is vital to maintain long-term function and reduce the risk of degeneration within the knee. Advances in instruments and techniques allow meniscal repair to be performed more commonly, and with excellent results. New procedures are evolving to allow repair of tears that would previously have been labelled ‘irreparable’. Meniscal allograft transplant is a viable treatment option for symptomatic patients who have suffered total loss of a meniscus and research continues into the use of synthetic menisci.