Characteristics associated with injury severity in subjects with simple meniscal tear




Paola M. Zamora-Muñoz, Centro de Ortopedia y Traumatología, Centro Médico ABC; Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Anáhuac. Ciudad de México, México
Ángel Cruz-Miranda, Centro de Ortopedia y Traumatología, Centro Médico ABC, Ciudad de México, México
Eira Santiago-Balmaseda, Centro de Ortopedia y Traumatología, Centro Médico ABC, Ciudad de México, México
Rubén O. Tafoya-Olivos, Centro de Ortopedia y Traumatología, Centro Médico ABC, Ciudad de México, México


Background: In patients with meniscal injuries, chondral injury occurs concomitantly in 51% of the subjects. The association between the severity of the chondral lesion and a greater risk of developing osteoarthritis is clearly established. However, there is a lack of information about the patients’ characteristics that are associated with the severity of chondral injury in a subgroup with isolated medial and lateral meniscus injuries, in whom preventive treatment is not established. Objective: To identify the acute simple meniscal injury patients’ characteristics associated with the severity of the chondral injury. Method: In a cross-sectional study, subjects with acute simple meniscal tear injury were included, information of clinical variables was collected, and the severity of the chondral injury was evaluated according to the Outerbridge criteria. Results: Of 70 patients, 23 (32.9%) had type I tear, 34 (48.6%) type II and 13 (18.5%) type III. Subjects over 35 years (OR: 3.400; 95%CI: 1.198-9.650) and with degenerative etiology (OR: 9.333; 95%CI: 1.144-76.161) showed a higher risk of presenting severe injuries. Conclusion: The severity of the chondral injury in simple meniscus tears is mainly associated to etiology.



Keywords: Simple meniscal tear injury. Outerbridge classification. Chondral injury.