[Meniscal sutures combined with the reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament. Comparative results between sutures of chronic and recent lesions: 102 cases].

The authors report the results of 102 meniscal sutures (53 lateral meniscus and 49 medial meniscus) done on 85 persons (86 knees) with laxity of the knee (54 acute laxities and 32 chronic laxities). All the sutures were done by posterior arthrotomy, while reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament. Among the operations done on anterior cruciate ligaments, we find 45 reconstructions using MacIntosh procedure, 37 CHO method and 3 reconstructions using Lemaire procedure. 78 per cent of the sutures of the recent injuries were placed in a post-operative plaster cast, on the other hand, none of the chronic injuries was splinted. All the knees (except 1) were followed up within an interval of time of 1 year minimum to 4 years maximum. 3 sutures of fresh medial meniscus tear were reoperated on and one suture of old tear was reoperated. None of the lateral meniscus sutures, old or new was reoperated. 27 "objective" controls were done: 5 by arthrography, 4 by arthroscopy and 18 by magnetic resonance imaging (M.R.I.). Of the 18 controlled sutures by M.R.I., 13 (that is, 76, 5 per cent) presented a high signal as if they had a "wound" or persistent injury, this was found within a context of knees without any symptoms. Therefore the sutures of medial meniscus associated with laxity heal very well. It would be even better if they were in the chronic laxity stage (1 did not succeed out of the 22) than in the acute laxity stage (3 failures out of 27). The sutures of lateral meniscus healed very well in the chronic and in the old laxity stages (total success in both stages). The M.R.I controls for the 18 meniscus sutures presented the problem of the sutured meniscus future.