The menisci are crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structures essential for load distribution, joint stability, and congruity in the knee. Complex tears, such as bucket-handle tears (BHTs) and radial tears (RTs), can severely disrupt knee biomechanics, causing pain, instability, and reduced range of motion. If left untreated, these injuries may accelerate joint degeneration, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and repair.

Historically, BHT repairs have shown higher failure rates, while RTs—especially in the avascular inner meniscus—were often considered irreparable and treated with partial meniscectomy. Surgical approaches have evolved over time, with the traditional inside-out (IO) technique being gradually complemented by the less invasive all-inside (AI) technique, which reduces surgical trauma and complications. However, evidence on the effectiveness of AI repair for complex meniscal tears remains limited.

The aim of this study was to assess failure rates and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) following all-inside repair of BHTs and full-thickness RTs. The authors hypothesized that clinical outcomes would be comparable between the two types of repairs.