In an ovine meniscal repair model, the patellofemoral (PF) osteoarthritis due to a non-sutured tear or failed repair was investigated.
A radial meniscus tear was either sutured with polydioxanone (PDS), with a slow degrading polylactide long-term suture(LTS) or left without treatment. Knee joint cartilage in the PF and medial compartment was evaluated compared to normal knees (healthy controls).
Retropatellar osteoarthritis in the non-sutured and sutured animals was intense in contrast to the control knees after 6 months in all groups (p < 0.001), and after 12 months in the PDS group (p < 0.001), LTS group and non-sutured animals (p < 0.05).
Non-sutured meniscus tears and failed repair lead fast to intense PF osteoarthritis corresponding with tibial damage of the injured compartment.