Cam impingement of the posterior femoral condyle in medial meniscal tears

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the results of meniscal repair of the medial meniscus with or without decompression of the posterior segment of the medial meniscus for the treatment of posteromedial tibiofemoral incongruence at full flexion (PMTFI), which induces deformation of the posterior segment on sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: For more than 2 years, we followed up 27 patients with PMTFI who were classified into the following 2 groups. Group 1 included 8 patients (5 male joints and 3 female joints) with a medial meniscal tear with instability at the site of the tear who underwent meniscal repair. The mean age was 23.6 years. Group 2 included 19 patients (16 male joints and 3 female joints) who had a meniscal tear with instability at the site of the tear and underwent meniscal repair and decompression. The mean age was 26.5 years. In decompression of the posterior segment, redundant bone tissue on the most proximal part of the medial femoral condyle was excised. The patients were assessed by use of the Lysholm score, sagittal MRI at full flexion, and arthroscopic examination.

Results: There were no statistical differences in mean Lysholm score between the 2 groups before surgery, but the mean score in group 2 was significantly higher than that in group 1 after surgery. Meniscal deformation of the posterior segment at full flexion on MRI disappeared in all cases after decompression. On second-look arthroscopy, the rate of complete healing at the site of the tear was 0% in group 1 but 57% in group 2, and it was significantly different between these groups.

Conclusions: The addition of decompression of the posterior segment of the medial meniscus to meniscal repair of knee joints with PMTFI allowed more room for the medial meniscus to accommodate and improved both function of the knee joint and the rate of success of repair of isolated medial meniscal tears in patients who regularly performed full knee flexion.