Meniscus Repair: Update on New Techniques

Increasing emphasis on the comprehensive reconstruction of the knee and on restoration of knee function after injury has heightened the interest in meniscus preservation. The approach to meniscal tears in the active individual emphasizes tissue repair over resection because meniscal tissue preservation has several potential advantages that improve the biomechanics and natural history of knee function over time. The technical approach to meniscal repair has significantly evolved in the last 10 years and continues to expand. Numerous techniques and multiple devices have been introduced and present the clinician with a vast array of surgical options. More recently, case reports documenting morbidities associated with the use of newer generation meniscal repair fixators have raised concerns regarding these devices and prompted recommendation that repair using suture may be preferred. An update on meniscus repair techniques is presented outlining and reviewing the current available procedures and implants including postoperative care, preliminary results, and complications. Technical pearls and pitfalls including optimal indications are reviewed for several of the repair methods as well as potential future directions in the approach to meniscal disease.