Meniscal-wall ultrasound-guided steroid infiltration for degenerative meniscal lesions (DML) shows low rate of conversion to surgery

Introduction: Degenerative meniscal lesions (DML) are frequent in the general population. However, the management of stable DML is always a challenge due to the lack of universal consensus and evidence.

Hypothesis: We assessed ultrasound-guided corticosteroids medial meniscal-wall infiltration as a conservative therapy for symptomatic DML and we searched for associated factors of very good response. Our hypothesis is that these injections will contribute to avoid the surgical treatment and improve clinical and functional scores.

Material and methods: An observational retrospective study included patients with DML of medial meniscus without mechanical symptoms of catching or locking, and without radiological signs of osteoarthritis, who underwent meniscal-wall corticoid infiltration under ultrasound between 2020 and 2021. Evaluations were carried-out at 24 months minimum after infiltration to determine any surgical intervention performed and assess clinical and functional outcome by a standard questionnaire to evaluate pain score using VAS at rest and on walking, SKV and TEGNER. Patient characteristics at the time of the infiltration were collected to determine the factors associated with very good response (SKV > 90).

Results: 187 patients were included. Surgery-free survival was 95% (90-97) (33,17 (SD, 6,40) months), mean VAS pain score at rest of 1.47 (SD, 2.51), mean VAS on walking of 2.47 (SD, 2.91), mean SKV score of 71.32 (SD, 22.75) and mean Tegner score of 6.75 (SD, 1.67) at a minimum of 24 months follow-up. BMI was significantly lower in the very good responders (SKV > 90) with a p = 0,017 (24.04 (SD, 3.82) in patients with SKV > 90 versus 26,23 (SD, 4.93) in patients with SVK ≤ 90).

Conclusion: US-guided meniscal wall infiltration is able to provide lasting symptom relief and functional recovery over time, in addition to low rate of conversion to surgery for patients suffering from DML without radiological signs of osteoarthritis.

Level of proof: IV; retrospective study.