Incidence, Presentation, and Treatment of Pediatric and Adolescent Meniscal Root Injuries

Abstract

Background: Despite the increasing incidence of sports-related knee injuries in youth athletes, few studies have reported on the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric and adolescent meniscal root injuries. Purpose: To describe traumatic posterior meniscal root injuries in a pediatric and adolescent population and compare the presentation of meniscal root injuries versus that of nonroot injuries. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A study was conducted of all knee arthroscopies performed on consecutive patients treated in a pediatric sports practice from March 2012 through February 2015. All patients who were younger than 20 years at the time of their injury and who underwent an arthroscopy with meniscal injury were included. Patients with discoid lateral meniscus, atraumatic meniscal cysts, partial-thickness meniscal root injuries (LaPrade type 1), and recurrent root tears were excluded. A comparative analysis of root and nonroot injuries was performed. Results: A total of 314 patients had surgery for meniscal injury (mean patient age, 16.0 years; range, 10.5-19.6 years). Of these patients, 58 (18.5%) posterior meniscal root injuries were identified. The root injuries were more likely to have joint line tenderness on preliminary physical examination compared with nonroot injuries (96.5% vs 58.6%, respectively; P