THE EFFECT OF PARTIAL MENISCECTOMY ON THE LONG-TERM PROGNOSIS OF KNEES WITH LOCALIZED, SEVERE CHONDRAL DAMAGE - A 12-YEAR TO 15-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

We retrospectively matched 42 patients with unilateral chondral damage in the weightbearing zone of one knee compartment according to sex, a ge, location of chondral damage, and follow-up time. Two groups of 21 patients were formed. One group had chondral damage only. The other gr oup had chondral damage and a meniscal tear treated with partial menis cectomy. After 12 to 15 years, all patients were reexamined. Twenty-ni ne percent (N = 6) of the patients who had a partial meniscectomy need ed repeat meniscal surgery during followup. No patients with isolated chondral damage developed meniscal symptoms, and only three patients u nderwent minor surgeries (P < 0.02). At the follow-up evaluation, both groups had similar knee function with a mean Lysholm score of 87 poin ts. However, most patients had reduced their sports activities from co mpetitive individual sports before injury to noncompetitive physical f itness exercise at followup. At the roentgenologic examination, patien ts who had partial meniscectomies had more severe roentgenologic signs of osteoarthritis than patients who had chondral damage only (P < 0.0 3). Meniscectomy, varus knee alignment at the follow-up evaluation (P < 0.04), and age older than 30 years (P < 0.04) at the time of the ope ration were associated with a higher incidence of osteoarthritis.