Total meniscectomy in adolescence - A thirty-year follow-up

We have carried out a prospective, longitudinal 30-year review of 95 adoles cents who underwent total meniscectomy in one knee, and have compared the r esults with those observed 13 years earlier. All the medical records were s crutinised. Of the 63 patients reviewed clinically, 47 reported decreased s porting activity, although subjective satisfaction rose by 3% to 71%, The s cores on the WOMAC osteoarthritis index differed significantly between pati ents grouped by subjective global assessment. Satisfactory function scores increased from 48% to 60%. In the 53 patients consenting to bilateral radio graphy of the knee, the incidence of narrowing of the articular cartilage i n the operated knee increased significantly between the reviews (19% to 36% ). Progression of degenerative change paralleled reduction in activity. Out come measures were best after medial, intermediate after lateral and worst after double meniscectomy.