Comparison of Efficacy and Safety Profile of Conservative Versus Surgical Management of Meniscal Injuries

Background: Surgical management of meniscal tear carries financial implications in resource limited settings like ours. Conservative management could address this issue, if its safety and efficacy profile is better understood. Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of conservative and surgical management of patients with meniscal tear with conservative management.Material and Methods: Descriptive comparative study of 80 patients with meniscal tear, recruited through non-probability convenient sampling technique, was carried out at Orthopedic unit MMC MTI Mardan, during 1st August 2022 and 31st July 2023. Patients were assigned to surgical and conservative group. International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score at baseline and 3 months after treatment were compared for efficacy. Treatment related complications were noted.Results: A total of 80 patients were enrolled with 40 patients in each group (surgical versus conservative). The mean baseline and IKDC score at week 12 in surgical versus conservative group were 45.069±13.301 versus 51.873±17.90 and 79.52±7.40 versus 73.92±11.67 respectively. Surgical group showed treatment response in 37 patients (92.5%) versus 31 (77.5%) in conservative approach (p value 0.060). Surgical site infection was observed in 5 patients (12.5%) in surgical group. Medication related adverse effects were observed in 3 patients (7.5%) in conservative group.Conclusion: No appreciable differences in the clinical results, such as pain reduction or better knee function, between patients who received meniscal surgery and those who underwent conservative treatment for meniscal tears.Keywords: Conservative Approach, Meniscal Injury, Surgical Approach, Treatment Outcomes