A repairable meniscus tear doesn't have to rule out ACL repair. New data from 276 patients show that outcomes at 2 years were similar whether patients had ACL repair alone, with meniscus repair, or with partial meniscectomy. Reinjury rates hovered around 10% across the board — on par with ACL reconstruction benchmarks.
For years, a concurrent meniscus tear has given surgeons pause when considering ACL repair over reconstruction. But new findings presented at the Arthroscopy Association of North America Annual Meeting suggest that a repairable meniscus tear may not be the dealbreaker it was once thought to be.
The DiFelice Foundation Study Group analyzed 276 patients who underwent primary ACL repair — either alone, alongside meniscus repair, or with partial meniscectomy. At 2-year follow-up, patient-reported outcomes and clinical results were comparable across all three groups, suggesting the presence of a meniscus injury doesn't significantly alter the trajectory of recovery after ACL repair.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: These findings could expand the pool of patients considered eligible for ACL repair — a less invasive alternative to reconstruction — by reassuring surgeons that a repairable meniscus tear need not automatically push them toward reconstruction. For carefully selected patients, ACL repair may be a viable and durable option.
