Outcome of combined all-inside and outside-in arthroscopic meniscal repair

Background
The long-term unfavorable consequences of meniscectomy, either partial or total, are well documented. The purpose of the current study is to demonstrate the long-term clinical outcome after arthroscopic meniscal repair using combined all-inside and outside-in techniques.
Patients and methods
A retrospective study of patients who underwent meniscal repair was conducted between December 2005 and October 2013. A total of 48 patients were included (42 males and six females), with an average age of 24.3 years (range, 10–38 years) at operation. Meniscal repairs were done using combined outside-in and all-inside techniques. All meniscal tears were repaired using one Fast-Fix posterior all-inside suture and multiple outside-in sutures using the remaining Ultrabraid suture and PDS no. 2-0 nonabsorbable suture.
Results
Only four cases required a second procedure (partial meniscectomy). At the final follow-up of an average of 80.11 months (range, 24–121 months), the average International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score of the meniscus repair group was 95.18±3.9, and the Lysholm score was 93.93±4.54.
Conclusion
Combined all-inside and outside-in arthroscopic meniscal repair is a safe and a cheap technique, with a good long-term clinical outcome.