Longitudinal tears were created in canine lateral menisci and techniques
were applied to induce healing by removal of a core of tissue from the
periphery of the meniscus to the tear or by implantation of a vascularized
synovial flap into the tear. The meniscal tears did not heal in knees that
were not immobilized, and they healed poorly and sporadically in knees that
were immobilized in a cast but bore some weight. However, a higher
percentage of tears that were treated by the core-removal or synovial-flap
technique healed when the knee was firmly immobilized and weight-bearing
was prevented by the use of an external skeletal fixator across the joint
for eight to twelve weeks. Neovascularization and access to a source of
reparative cells appear to be important in the healing process.