Abstract
Objectives
To evaluate the incidence and epidemiological aspects of meniscal ramp injuries in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, and determine the related risk factors.
Methods
824 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction were retrospectively analyzed. Patients who presented medial meniscal instability underwent evaluation of the posteromedial compartment of the knee. In case of injury, surgical repair was performed. Potential risk factors associated with injuries were analyzed.
Results
The overall incidence of ramp injuries in the study was 10.6% (87 injuries in 824 patients). Multivariate analysis using the Chi-Square test demonstrated that the presence of meniscal ramp injuries was significantly associated with the following risk factors: right laterality and chronic injuries. Sex, age and sporting activity were not statistically significant. Football was the most frequent cause of sports-related ramp injuries, accounting for 78.2% of cases. However, it did not prove to be a risk factor. The annual incidence ranged from 4.0% to 20.6%.
Conclusion
The incidence of meniscal ramp lesions was 10.6% in ACL reconstruction, being more frequent in chronic injuries. The increasing annual incidence ranged from 4.0% in 2014 to 20.6% in 2019.