Aims and objectives
The important role which meniscus plays in protection of the knee joint in preventing osteoarthritis has been well established.
Its role includes load sharing,
increase in joint congruity,
articular cartilage nutrition and lubrication.
It has been shown,
than meniscectomy increases the risk of developing degenerative changes in the joint.
Meniscal injuries are one of the most frequent knee problems and meniscal repair is one of the most common orthopaedic procedure performed.
Surgeons now try to maintain as much meniscal tissue as possible,
by performing either...
Methods and materials
In this study 37 patients (25 men,
12 women; age range 16-52 with mean age 25 years) were prospectively studied,
who underwent concomitant anterior cruciate ligament repair.
Operated menisci were controlled in 1,5T unit by using knee coil.
Studies were performed with shortened protocol,
which included axial and sagittal PD and STIR sequences.
MRI images were acquired in fixed time intervals: 2 and 5 weeks as well as 3,6,9 and 12 months after surgery.
Afterwards examinations were subjectively reviewed regarding signal evolution in the site...
Results
There were performed 28 medial and 11 lateral meniscal repairs.
There was posterior horn and / or body operated.
In the study it was observed that in great majority of cases in up to 3 months postoperatively MRI images of repaired menisci worsened.
In the next 4-6 months,
with normal healing process,
image stabilized or slightly improved,
otherwise meniscal degeneration proceeded. Repeat tears were observed in two cases,
those were with displaced meniscal fragments.
Meniscal cysts were observed in 11 patients,
and most of them...
Conclusion
According to literature the appearance of the meniscus after meniscal repair has a grade 3 intensity on MRI scans postoperatively in the healing meniscus,
which often is indistinguishable from repeat tears,
what limits accuracy of MR imaging in postoperative assessment. Our findings are in agreement with above mentioned and all patients in the study demonstrated abnormal signal intensity in all scans throughout observation.
MR image can be only information about disturbance of healing process in operated menisci,
and because of major complication rate of diagnostic...
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