Arthroscopic medial meniscectomy on stable knees - A 12-year follow-up

We reviewed 74 partial medial meniscectomies in 57 patients with stable kne es, to assess the long-term functional and radiological outcome. The Intern ational Knee Documentation Committee score and the residual laxity were ass essed in both knees. At the time of surgery the mean age of the patients wa s 36 +/- 11 years and the mean follow-up was 12 +/- 1 years. All had a limi ted medial meniscectomy. The anterior cruciate ligament was intact in all c ases. The meniscal tear was vertical in 95% and complex in 5%. The posterio r part of the meniscus was removed in 99%. A peripheral rim was preserved i n all cases. After 12 years 95% of the patients were satisfied or very sati sfied with their kneels). Objectively, 57% had grade A function and 43% wer e grade B. The outcome correlated only with the presence of anterior knee p ain at final follow-up, In the 49 cases of arthroscopic meniscectomy for wh ich there was a contralateral normal knee there was narrowing of the 'joint -space' in 16% of the operated knees. There was no correlation between this and other parameters such as age or different meniscal pathologies.