An average 4.6 year follow-up study has been done on 80 of 104 open meniscus repairs of unstable peripheral tears. Two of nine retears were treated in the acute stage and seven were treated in the chronic stage. Eight retears were medial, one was lateral (repair ratio, 1.5:1 medial to lateral), three occurred through the repair site, and six occurred in different areas. Retears occurred in 1 of 26 isolated repairs, 2 of 38 repairs done with an ACL stabilization procedure, and 6 of 16 repairs done in ACL deficient knees that were not stabilized. Standing radiographs revealed normal compartments in 40 of 41 repairs.