Meniscal root tears: repair and salvage techniques

Recent interest has uncovered the importance of understanding meniscal root anatomy, its effect on biomechanics of the knee joint, and appropriate treatment modalities. Meniscal root tears may account for up to one-fifth of all meniscal tears and have downstream consequences that can be as severe as total meniscectomy due to the unique force-dispersing properties of the meniscus. Meniscal biomechanics rely heavily upon the integrity of root attachments, and this historically overlooked etiology of knee pain and early onset osteoarthritis plays a vital role in maintaining the longevity of the knee joint. As meniscal root pathology becomes more commonly known and clinically assessed, an understanding of classifications, repair methods, and indications is important for surgeons.