Securing the Root: Meniscus Root Repair with Rip Stop and Cannulated Drilling

Abstract

Meniscal root pathology has garnered increased attention over the past decade. Meniscal root tears are considered to essentially represent a meniscus-deficient state, which has led to a rise in the surgical fixation of this pathology. Meniscus root tears are classified as either radial tears within 1 cm of the root insertion, or a direct avulsion of meniscal root. These injuries are important to recognize because they contribute to impaired joint mechanics and rapid articular cartilage degeneration. Given this, there remains significant interest in identifying novel surgical techniques that may facilitate better surgical repair and enhance patient outcomes. The purpose of this technical note is to describe a surgical technique for a medial meniscus root ripstop repair with cannulated drilling. This technique is simple and reproducible, while also allowing for the augmentation of potentially poor tissue quality.