Outcomes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using the Norwegian Knee Ligament Registry of 4691 Patients: How Does Meniscal Repair or Resection Affect Short-term Outcomes?

Abstract

Background: While the effects of concurrent meniscal resection and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) are known to decrease patient outcomes and increase the rate of osteoarthritis over the long term, overall short-term patient functional outcomes in a large cohort of patients are not well known.

Purpose/hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to compare the preoperative and 2-year postoperative Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) subscale scores after ACLR with and without meniscal injury. The hypothesis was that, in comparison with an isolated ACLR, patients with a medial meniscal (MM) or lateral meniscal (LM) resection with an ACLR would have significantly decreased 2-year postoperative KOOS outcomes, while those with an ACLR with an MM or LM repair would be indistinguishable from isolated ACLR.

Study design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods: The Norwegian Knee Ligament Registry (NKLR) was used to evaluate outcomes for a total of 4691 patients with primary ACLR. The KOOS scoring system was used to evaluate patients on 5 subscales (Pain, Other Symptoms, Activities of Daily Life [ADL], Sport and Recreation Function, and Quality of Life [QoL]) at time of surgery and at 2-year postoperative follow-up. Patients with isolated ACLR and ACLR with LM repair, LM resection, MM repair, or MM resection were compared using multiple linear regression modeling.

Results: Preoperatively, in comparison with isolated ACLR, patients who had an ACLR with either an MM repair or MM resection had significantly lower scores for all KOOS subscores, and LM repair had significantly decreased scores on the Other Symptoms, Pain, and ADL subscales. Postoperatively, in comparison with isolated ACLR, 2-year KOOS outcomes were not significantly different between patients with ACLR and LM repair, MM resection, or LM resection; however, those with MM repair had significantly lower scores on the Other Symptoms and QoL subscales.

Conclusion: Patients with ACLR with meniscal resections do not exhibit decreased clinical outcomes at 2 years postoperatively. It is recommended that clinicians follow patients with ACLR and concurrent meniscal treatment for longer than 2 years postoperatively.

Keywords: anterior cruciate ligament; meniscal repair; meniscal resection; patient outcomes; registry.