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Órgano Oficial del Colegio Mexicano de Ortopedia y Traumatología

2026, Number 4

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Acta Ortop Mex 2026; 40 (4)

Isolated, chronic bucket-handle meniscal tear: meniscectomy or meniscal repair?

Provenza G, Murillo-Vizuete D, Escobar-Antón D, López-Fernández J, Larrainzar-Garijo R, García-Bógalo R

Language: Spanish
References: 23
Page: 227-232
PDF size: 679.48 Kb.


ABSTRACT

Introduction: bucket-handle meniscal tears account for approximately 10% of all meniscal injuries. Although both meniscectomy and meniscal repair are considered valid treatment options, controversy remains regarding the optimal approach for chronic cases. This study aims to describe and compare the clinicalfunctional outcomes and the rate of complications or reoperations in patients with chronic, isolated buckethandle tears treated with either meniscectomy or meniscal repair. Material and methods: a retrospective study was conducted on patients treated between 2012 and 2021 at Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor. Patients with chronic, isolated bucket-handle tears treated with either meniscectomy or meniscal suturing were included. Demographic and clinical variables, time to surgery, postoperative follow-up, and functional outcomes (using IKDC and Lysholm-Tegner scores) were analyzed. Complications and reoperations were also recorded. Results: a total of 30 patients were included, 23 underwent meniscectomy and seven underwent meniscal repair. The meniscectomy group showed a significant improvement in IKDC scores from 39.1% preoperatively to 88.8% at one year, and 86.3% at final follow-up (four years), with no complications or reoperations. The repair group showed more modest improvements, from 38.9 to 82.3% over five years, but had a failure rate of 42.85%, requiring partial meniscectomy. Conclusion: both treatments are valid; however, delayed repair in chronic lesions may increase the risk of complications and the need for reintervention. Therefore, clinical protocols for bucket-handle meniscal injuries should be optimized.


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