Objective: To compare therapeutic efficacy of modified single-needle arthroscopic repair technique and Fast-Fix technique in repairing longitudinal meniscus injuries.
Methods: From July 2016 to July 2017, patients with longitudinal meniscus injuries who underwent meniscal repair surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Ninety-one patients treated with modified single-needle technique and 77 patients were treated with Fast-Fix technique, the average age were (26.7±7.6) and (27.9±6.1) years old respectively, the average lengths of follow-up were (32.5±9.2) and (33.2±11.9) months, respectively. Operation cost, suture time, intraoperative failure rate and postoperative failure rate were used as clinical outcomes, MRI of knee joint was used as main diagnosis and evaluation basis; 2000 IKDC subjective score, Lysholm score and Tegner activity scale were compared between two groups preoperatively, 12 months after operation and at the latest follow-up. Intraoperative and postopertaive complications were observed.
Results: Compared with Fast-Fix group, patients in modified single-needle technique group had lower operation costs [(645.7±133.1 vs.(12 184.8±4 709.8), P<0.01)], and average time per suture was shorter[(4.5±2.1) vs.(5.9±2.7), P<0.001)];and there were no significant difference in intraoperative failure rate and postoperative failure rate between two groups. There were no statistical differences in subjective function score, Lysholm score, Tegner activity knee joint at 12 months after opertaion and the latest follow-up (P>0.05);These scores between two groups at the latest followup were significantly improved compared with those of before operation(P<0.000 1).
Conclusion: Modified single-needle arthrscopicrepair technique could achieve the similar therapeutic efficacy as Fast-Fix technique, and it has advantageds of simple opertion and more economical. This study recommends clinical application of modified single-needle arthrscopic repair technique in treating meniscus injuries.
Keywords: Knee joint; Meniscus; Suture techniques; Wound and injuries.