To evaluate the necessity of arthroscopic suture repair for the stable ramp lesion.

From August 2008 to April 2012, 91 patients of consecutive cases were diagnosed as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury associated with stable ramp lesion in Department of Sports Medicine Service of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. All of the diagnosis was confirmed during arthroscopic surgeries. The patients were randomized into suture repair group and control group. The ACL was reconstructed using auto grafts of hamstring. MRI was used for evaluation of the healing of the ramp lesion during the follow-up period. The stability of the knee joint was evaluated using KT-1000 device. The clinical functional outcomes were analyzed with Lysholm and International Knee Documentation Committee(IKDC) score. t test and χ² test were used to analyze the data, respectively.

There were 73 patients (80%) were available for final follow-up. The follow-up period was 24 to 72 months (mean (38.9±16.1) months). The suture repair group included 40 patients, while the control group included 33 patients. There were no statistically difference in age(t=0.458, P>0.05), gender(χ²=0.222, P>0.05), time interval from injury(t=0.643, P>0.05) and associated injuries(χ²=0.658, P>0.05). At the final follow-up, the healing rate of ramp lesion in suture repair group was 97.5% (95% of complete healed, 2.5% of partial healed, and 2.5% of non-healed), in control group the healing rate was 93.9% (87.8% of complete healed, 6.1% of partial healed, and 6.1% of non healed), there were no significant differences between the two groups (χ²=0.446, P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference of postoperative knee stability (t=-0.510, P>0.05). The healing status of ramp area from MRI evaluation had statistically significant correlation with the ACL stability (χ²=11.919, P<0.01). For the analysis of postoperative Lysholm scores and IKDC scores, there was no significant difference between the two groups (t=-0.166, P>0.05; t=0.032, P>0.05).

Stable ramp lesion could be well healed after arthroscopic treatment of all-inside suture repair as well as refreshment only. For patients with ACL injury and stable ramp lesion, there was no significant difference between the results of MRI evaluation in the early postoperative stage.The postoperative healing status of ramp area had statistically significant correlation with the stability of knee joint.

Medial meniscus tears; Arthroscopic surgery; Healing rate; Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction