Arthroscopic Centralization of the Extruded Medial Meniscus

Abstract

Tears of the posterior medial meniscus root commonly result in extrusion of the meniscus and disruption of tibiofemoral contact mechanics. Transtibial pull-through repair of the root often results in healing of the tear, but postoperative extrusion may persist. In this scenario, the meniscus is unlikely to be chondroprotective. Therefore, an additional centralization procedure is necessary to improve the extrusion. Biomechanical studies have demonstrated that centralization can improve meniscus mechanics and potentially reduce the risk of osteoarthritis. This Technical Note describes an arthroscopic technique for medial meniscus posterior root repair that combines transtibial pullout and centralization sutures.