Surgical Management of Meniscus Tears: Update on Indications and Techniques for Repair

Because of the crucial role of the menisci in maintaining cartilage and joint health, meniscal tears affect the long-term health of the knee. Although partial meniscectomy has a role in the treatment of complex degenerative tears and tears with low healing capacity, advances in the concepts and understanding of meniscal repair, along with improvements in repair techniques and instrumentation, have expanded the indications for meniscal repair. With appropriate patient selection and preoperative planning, repair of meniscal tears can lower the rate of degenerative changes when compared with meniscectomy. The purpose of this review is to provide a concise overview of current repair indications, techniques, instrumentation, and outcomes for a variety of commonly encountered meniscal tears (radial, vertical, horizontal, oblique, ramp, root) in the knee.