Meniscus repair failure risk does not differ by sex: a systematic review
ImportanceMeniscus tears are common knee pathologies that are frequently treated with meniscus repair with a variety of techniques. Regardless of technique and implant choice, it is critical to understand and consider patient factors, including patient sex, which can influence outcome.ObjectiveWe sought to determine if there is an effect of sex on failure risk following meniscus repair.Evidence reviewA systematic review of the literature was undertaken to identify studies that reported failure risk independently for male and female patients. Meta-analyses were performed to identify the effect of patient sex on meniscus repair failure risk. Differences in patient-reported outcomes by sex were reported qualitatively.FindingsA total of 886 patients analysed were included in the 11 identified studies, including 556 males and 330 females. Meniscus repair failure was reported in 192 patients (21.7%). The failure risk was 21.1% in males and 21.5% in females. Meta-analyses demonstrated no significant difference in meniscus repair failure risk based on sex in neither the three studies that assessed repair success arthroscopically (p=0.66) nor the eight studies in which failure was defined with clinical assessment or as the need for repeat surgery (p=0.92).Conclusions and relevanceThere are no significant differences in meniscus repair failure risk in male versus female patients in the existing literature. More published data are needed to evaluate patient-reported outcomes of meniscus repair based on sex.Level of evidenceIV, systematic review.