Arthroscopic Meniscectomy Versus Meniscal Repair: A Comparative Functional Outcome Study

Background:
Meniscal tears are among the most common knee injuries, leading to
pain, swelling, and functional limitations that can significantly affect
daily activities and athletic performance.
Objective:
This study aimed to evaluate and compare the functional outcomes of
arthroscopic partial meniscectomy and meniscal repair using validated
clinical scoring systems.
Methods:
This prospective comparative study was conducted at the Department of
Orthopaedic Surgery, National Institute of Traumatology & Orthopaedic
Rehabilitation (NITOR), Dhaka, Bangladesh, from July 2024 to June
2025 on 64 patients diagnosed with symptomatic meniscal tears
requiring surgical intervention divided into two equal groups:
arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (n=32) and meniscal repair (n=32).
Patients were followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively, and
final functional outcomes were assessed using the same scoring systems
applied preoperatively. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0.
Results:
Preoperative IKDC, Lysholm, and Tegner scores were comparable
between groups. At final follow-up, the repair group achieved higher
mean IKDC (85.9 vs 78.4, p-value=<0.001), Lysholm (90.4 vs 82.6,
p-value=<0.001), and Tegner (6.3 vs 5.1, p-value=0.002) scores.
Excellent functional outcomes were observed in 62.5% of repair
patients versus 37.5% of meniscectomy patients. Complications were
low in both groups, with slightly higher reoperation rates in the repair
group (9.4% vs 3.1%).
Conclusion:
Although both arthroscopic partial meniscectomy and meniscal repair
lead to significant improvements in knee function for patients with
meniscal tears,meniscal repair provides superior functional outcomes,
higher activity levels, and a greater proportion of excellent results at
final follow-up.