Incidence of Meniscal Tears Accompanying ACL Ruptures: Earlier ACL Reconstruction, Less Meniscal Tear

OBJECTIVES: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a common disorder in athletes and in most cases, meniscal tears accompany. These meniscal tears can be the result of the initial trauma or the consecutive injuries in the unoperated patients. The aim of the study was to compare the incidence of meniscal tears in the patients operated because of ACL defficiency in the early or late period after the initial trauma. The age of the patient and meniscal tear pattern were the other subjects compared. METHODS: The groups included 42, 72 and 129 patients respectively. Among all groups, it was shown that in 125 cases (% 51.4), a meniscal tear accompanied the ACL tear. In Group 1, 18 cases (% 42.8) had meniscal tears while 29 patients (% 37) in Group 2 and 78 patients (% 60.4) in Group 3 had any kind of meniscal tear. Bucket handle tears constituted 38 % of all tears in Group 1, 53 % in Group 2 and 56 % in Group 3. There was a significant statistical difference between the groups among the presence of meniscal tear and the period between the initial trauma and operation time. When the patients accepted the operation in the first six months after the initial trauma, the incidence of the meniscal injury decreased significantly (chi-square test) (p <0,01). There was no statistical difference between three groups among the percentage of bucket handle tears (variance analysis: p=0,196). The statistical difference was not important between the groups among the age of the patients in relation with the pattern of the meniscal tears (variance analysis: p=0,236). RESULTS: The groups included 42, 72 and 129 patients respectively. Among all groups, it was shown that in 125 cases (% 51.4), a meniscal tear accompanied the ACL tear. In Group 1, 18 cases (% 42.8) had meniscal tears while 29 patients (% 37) in Group 2 and 78 patients (% 60.4) in Group 3 had any kind of meniscal tear. Bucket handle tears constituted 38 % of all tears in Group 1, 53 % in Group 2 and 56 % in Group 3. There was a significant statistical difference between the groups among the presence of meniscal tear and the period between the initial trauma and operation time. When the patients accepted the operation in the first six months after the initial trauma, the incidence of the meniscal injury decreased significantly (chi-square test) (p <0,01). There was no statistical difference between three groups among the percentage of bucket handle tears (variance analysis: p=0,196). The statistical difference was not important between the groups among the age of the patients in relation with the pattern of the meniscal tears (variance analysis: p=0,236) CONCLUSION: We can say that the incidence of meniscal tears can be decreased if the patients with ACL injury are operated early after the initial trauma. Earlier ACL reconstruction means less meniscal tear.