Saucerization and Repair of Discoid Lateral Menisci With Peripheral Rim Instability: Intermediate-term Outcomes in Children and Adolescents

Background: Historically, total meniscectomy was recommended as the treatment for a symptomatic discoid meniscus. Improved meniscal repair techniques and inferior long-term outcomes associated with meniscectomy have resulted in a trend toward meniscal preservation, with saucerization and repair of meniscocapsular tears. Reoperation rates after treatment of torn discoid menisci vary, with some series reporting high rates of reinjury and reoperation. The purpose of this study is to describe the intermediate-term outcomes of pediatric patients treated with saucerization and meniscocapsular repair of discoid lateral menisci with peripheral rim instability. Methods: A single-institution retrospective review was performed of consecutive patients less than 18 years of age treated with saucerization and repair for a meniscocapsular tear of a discoid lateral meniscus from 2013 to 2017. All patients had a minimum 24-month follow-up. A chart review was performed to describe tear location and repair type. The primary outcomes were revision meniscus surgery and Pedi-International Knee Documentation Committee and Tegner activity scores obtained at the final follow-up. Results: In total, 32 knees in 30 patients, including 15 males and 15 females with a mean age of 12 years (range, 5 to 17 y), were included. Tear patterns included anterior meniscocapsular (14 knees), posterior meniscocapsular (16 knees), and both anterior and posterior meniscocapsular (2 knees). Arthroscopic saucerization and meniscocapsular repair were performed in all knees. Repair types were outside-in (10 knees), inside-out (8 knees), all-inside (8 knees), and hybrid (6 knees). The mean follow-up was 54 months (range, 30 to 86 mo). Three knees (9%) underwent revision meniscus surgery, including 2 all-inside repairs and 1 partial meniscectomy. At the final follow-up, mean International Knee Documentation Committee score was 96 (range, 82 to 100). A total of 89% of patients reported returning to the same or higher level of activity following surgery. Conclusions: Saucerization of discoid lateral menisci with repair of meniscocapsular tears is associated with low rates of revision surgery and good intermediate-term outcomes. Level of Evidence: Level IV.