Efficacy and adverse reactions of arthroscopic medial collateral ligament release for medial meniscus injury: A meta-analysis

The posterior root tear of the medial meniscus has received increasing attention from scholars in recent years, with its incidence rate accounting for 10.1%–27.8% of all meniscal tears. A comprehensive search of eight databases was conducted to identify studies on the efficacy and negative consequences of arthroscopic medial collateral ligament release for medial meniscus damage. Data analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software, following a thorough assessment of the literature quality. A total of seven studies were included in this meta-analysis. Based on the data from these studies, there was no statistically significant difference between the test group and the control group in terms of Lysholm scores [standardized mean difference (SMD): 3.23; 95% confidence interval (CI): −1.61, 8.06; P = 0.191], IKDC scores (SMD: 0.42; 95% CI: −3.54, 4.37; P = 0.837), VAS scores (SMD: −0.48; 95% CI: −1.36, 0.40; P = 0.283), and operation time (SMD: −24.87; 95% CI: −41.68, −8.05; P < 0.01). According to Lysholm scores, IKDC scores, VAS scores, operation time, and adverse reactions, the findings of this research imply that arthroscopic medial collateral ligament release may be favorable to people who have medial meniscus injury. Nevertheless, current outcomes require confirmation by additional studies of excellent quality.