Protocol for a systematic review of paediatric meniscal repair

Abstract Background Meniscal tears in the paediatric population represent a significant challenge. Improved sensitivity of diagnostic imaging and increased intensity of organised sport among children is in part responsible for an increased incidence of injuries identified. While rare, these injuries have a significant impact on a patient’s future and necessitate timely and meticulous repair. Methods Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases will be interrogated from inception to November 2019. All primary clinical studies in which paediatric meniscal injuries are treated will be identified and included. Treatment techniques will be grouped according to surgical technique and a further analysis of any papers concomitantly repair anterior cruciate ligaments will also be analysed to identify any superiority. A qualitative synthesis will at first be attempted with further quantitative analysis should heterogeneity of studies allow it. Discussion Paediatric meniscal injuries provide a dilemma for even the most experience surgeon, with no consensus on a preferred treatment option. Outcomes are often poor and can have long-term effects with early onset of osteoarthritis and limitation of future function. As such, this review will be pivotal in identifying the different treatment options being employed for meniscal repair in a paediatric population, if there is any superiority in a given treatment choice and moving towards identified a standard treatment protocol.