Posterior Lateral Meniscal Root Tears and Meniscal Repair

Meniscal repair indications have not really changed in recent years. Typically younger, more active patients with concomitant ACL reconstruction and peripheral third vertical tears continue to be the “best” repair candidates. However, even in these “ideal” candidates, meniscal repair continues to represent a significant challenge. While most will not dispute that vertical tears greater than 1 cm in the peripheral third of the meniscus should be repaired, there has been new attention on repairing posterior root tears. With these root tear repairs, an inside-out repair is not feasible due to the posterior midline placement of the needles and the passage of the suture. BACKGROUND: Strength of Meniscal Repair