In vivo assessment of weight-bearing knee flexion reveals compartment-specific alterations in meniscal slope

Medial meniscal and bony slopes are higher in knees with failed ACL reconstruction than in patients with successful ACL reconstruction

BACKGROUND

We aimed to compare tibial soft tissue and bony slopes in patients with failed and non-failed ACL reconstructions (ACLR). We hypothesized that patients with failed ACLR have increased slopes compared to non-failed ACLR, and unexplained failures have higher slopes than failures with clear technical errors and failed synthetic ligaments.

METHODS

Between 2015 and 2022, 130 patients with failed ACLR were retrospectively identified; 79 knees with adequate MRI scans were analyzed. These were compared to 57 non-failed ACLRs. MRI measurements included lateral and medial tibial bony slope (LBS, MBS) and lateral and medial meniscal slope (LMS, MMS). Subgroup analysis assessed for failures with technical errors and failed synthetic ligaments.

RESULTS

In all patients, the LMS and MMS reduced the bony slope towards the horizontal without reaching statistical significance. Failed ACLR had significantly higher MBS (7.1° ± 2.9 vs. 4.6° ± 2.5, p < 0.001) and MMS (5.6° ± 3.5 vs. 3.4° ± 2.8, p < 0.001). The area under the curve for MBS was 0.721 (CI: 0.628-0.813). The Youden optimal threshold value of MBS ≥ 5.1° (sensitivity 80 %, specificity 56.1 %) yielded an odd's ratio for failure of 5.1 (CI:2.3-11.6; p < 0.001). Revisions with technical errors had slopes that were not significantly different to non-failed ACLR. Revisions with synthetic grafts had MBS (7.3° ± 3.2 vs. 4.6° ± 2.5; p = 0.007) and MMS (6° ± 3.8 vs. 3.4° ± 2.8; p = 0.021) that were significantly higher to non-failed ACLR.

CONCLUSION

Medial bony and meniscal slopes are higher in patients with unexplained failed ACLRs and revisions with synthetic grafts, but ACLR with technical errors failed with slopes similar to non-failed ACLRs. Increased medial slope values are a risk factor for surgical failure.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

The Epidemiology of Meniscus Injury

Meniscus surgery is one of the most commonly performed orthopedic procedures worldwide. Modifiable risk factors for meniscus injury include body mass index, participation in athletics and occupation. Nonmodifiable risk factors include age, sex, lower extremity alignment, discoid meniscus, ligamentous laxity, and biconcave tibial plateau. Conditions commonly associated with meniscal injury are osteoarthritis, anterior cruciate ligament injury, and tibial plateau fractures. Tear type and location vary by patient age and functional status. Surgical management of meniscus injury is typically cost-effective in terms of quality-adjusted life years. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of meniscal injury epidemiology by summarizing tear types and locations, associated conditions, and factors that increase the risk for meniscal injury. The economic burden of meniscus injury and strategies to prevent injury to the meniscus are also reviewed.

Weight-bearing MRI of the knee: a review of advantages and limits

Standard knee imaging with MRI is usually performed with patient in recumbent position under non-weight-bearing conditions. Recently, magnetic resonance imaging systems to scan the knee joint under weight bearing conditions has been proposed as an approach to improve the clinical utility of musculoskeletal MRI. Imaging under loading can be useful to understand the natural motion behavior of the knee joint and to identify conditions that are challenging to diagnose by using standard position. We reviewed the literature on weight-bearing MR imaging of the knee to describe the current state of use of such MRI technologies, evaluating the advantages and the potential limitations of these technologies.

Complex Medial Meniscus Tears Are Associated With a Biconcave Medial Tibial Plateau

PURPOSE

To determine whether an association exists between a biconcave medial tibial plateau and complex medial meniscus tears.

METHODS

A consecutive series of stable knees undergoing arthroscopy were evaluated retrospectively with the use of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radiographs, and arthroscopy documented by intraoperative videos. Investigators independently performed blinded reviews of the MRI or videos. Based on the arthroscopy findings, medial tibial plateaus were classified as either biconcave or not biconcave. A transverse coronal plane ridge, separating the front of the tibial plateau from the back near the inner margin of the posterior body of the medial meniscus, was defined as biconcave. The medial plateau slope was calculated with MRI sagittal views. General demographic information, body mass index, and arthroscopically confirmed knee pathology were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 179 consecutive knees were studied from July 2014 through August 2015; 49 (27.2%) biconcave medial tibial plateaus and 130 (72.8%) controls were identified at arthroscopy. Complex medial meniscus tears were found in 103. Patients with a biconcave medial tibial plateau were found to have more complex medial meniscus tears (69.4%) than those without a biconcavity (53.1%) (P = .049) despite having lower body mass index (P = .020). No difference in medial tibial plateau slope was observed for biconcavities involving both cartilage and bone, bone only, or an indeterminate group (P = .47).

CONCLUSIONS

Biconcave medial tibial plateaus were present in 27.4% of a consecutive series of patients undergoing knee arthroscopy. A biconcave medial tibial plateau was more frequently associated with a complex medial meniscus tear.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, case-control study.

Increased Medial Meniscal Slope Is Associated With Greater Risk of Ramp Lesion in Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

BACKGROUND

A special type of meniscal lesion involving the peripheral attachment of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus (PHMM), termed ramp lesion, is commonly associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. However, no study has investigated its anatomic risk factors. Recently, increased meniscal slope has been identified as an independent anatomic risk factor for noncontact ACL injury.

HYPOTHESIS

Increased medial meniscal slope (MMS) as measured on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will correlate with greater risk of concomitant ramp lesion in noncontact ACL injury.

STUDY DESIGN

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

METHODS

From January 2011 to December 2013, a total of 1012 consecutive patients were diagnosed as having noncontact ACL injuries and underwent primary ACL reconstructions. Among them, 160 patients were arthroscopically verified to have concomitant ramp lesions. Study exclusion criteria included partial ACL rupture, multiligamentous injury, associated medial/lateral meniscal lesions other than ramp lesion, skeletal immaturity, general joint laxity, severe malalignment of the lower extremity, history of knee surgery, lack of available preoperative MRI, and history of trauma to the proximal tibia. This left 53 patients in the study group (ACL + ramp group), who were matched in a 1:1 fashion to 53 control participants (isolated ACL group) who were arthroscopically verified to have isolated complete ACL injury during the same study period. Patients were matched by age, sex, and time from injury to surgery (TFI). Patients from the matched control group were selected by applying the same exclusion criteria as mentioned above. The MMS and medial posterior tibial slope (MPTS) were measured on the preoperative MRI in a blinded fashion. Predictors of ramp lesion, including MMS, MPTS, body mass index, pivot-shift test grade, and KT-1000 arthrometer side-to-side difference, were assessed by multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The mean MMS in the study group was 3.5°, which was significantly larger than that in the control group (2.0°; P < .001). In addition, increased MMS was significantly (odds ratio [OR], 5.180; 95% CI, 1.814-32.957; P < .001) associated with concomitant ramp lesion in noncontact ACL injury, especially for those with a TFI of ≥6 months (OR, 13.819; 95% CI, 2.251-49.585; P < .001). However, no significant association was identified between MPTS and concomitant ramp lesion.

CONCLUSION

Increased MMS was identified to be an independent anatomic risk factor of concomitant ramp lesions in noncontact ACL injuries, particularly for those with a TFI ≥6 months. This may provide additional information for counseling patients who have increased MMS on the greater risk of secondary PHMM lesions if their ACL-deficient knee joints are not well stabilized initially.

Detecting Meniscal Tears in Primary Care: Reproducibility and Accuracy of 2 Weight-Bearing Tests and 1 Non-Weight-Bearing Test

STUDY DESIGN

Diagnostic accuracy study using a cross-sectional design.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the interexaminer reliability and the diagnostic accuracy in primary care of 1 existing weight-bearing meniscal test, the Thessaly test, 1 new weight-bearing test, the deep squat test, and 1 non-weight-bearing test, the joint-line tenderness test.

BACKGROUND

Meniscal tears are difficult to detect in primary care. Although valuable in secondary care, weight-bearing physical examination tests require validation in primary care in unselected patients.

METHODS

Between October 2009 and December 2013, 121 patients (age range, 18-65 years) seen in primary care and suspected of having internal derangement of the knee of less than 6 months in duration were included in the study. Diagnostic accuracy of the 3 meniscal tests was determined based on assessment with magnetic resonance imaging. The meniscal tests were performed by 3 trained physical therapists, who were not informed about the patient history and magnetic resonance imaging results. Each test was performed independently by 2 of the 3 trained physical therapists in alternating pairs.

RESULTS

The Thessaly test and the deep squat test had a moderate level of interexaminer reliability, with kappas of 0.54 and 0.46, respectively. The joint-line tenderness test had poor interexaminer reliability and was therefore not assessed for diagnostic accuracy. The following results are reported separately for both examiners. The Thessaly test had a sensitivity of 66.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 53.0%, 78.0%) and 51.2% (95% CI: 36.8%, 65.4%), a specificity of 37.9% (95% CI: 27.2%, 50.0%) and 43.5% (95% CI: 30.2%, 57.8%), a positive likelihood ratio of 1.07 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.41) and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.62, 1.33), and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.88 (95% CI: 0.54, 1.45) and 1.12 (95% CI: 0.72, 1.76). Similarly, the deep squat test had a sensitivity of 74.5% (95% CI: 61.1%, 84.5%) and 76.7% (95% CI: 62.3%, 86.9%), a specificity of 42.4% (95% CI: 31.2%, 54.4%) and 36.2% (95% CI: 24.0%, 50.5%), a positive likelihood ratio of 1.29 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.68) and 1.20 (95% CI: 0.92, 1.58), and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.60 (95% CI: 0.35, 1.04) and 0.64 (95% CI: 0.33, 1.25).

CONCLUSION

Although the Thessaly and deep squat tests have a moderate level of reliability, neither test is sufficiently accurate to help in the diagnosis of meniscal tears in primary care. Future research should focus on other relevant patient variables instead of on physical examination tests in the detection of meniscal tears.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Diagnosis, level 3b.