Clinical and radiological results after arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy. Are there risk factors?

Abstract

In a retrospective study 100 patients underwent a clinical and radiological follow-up 7 years and 7 months after an arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy. None of these patients had associated intraarticular lesions apart a minor chondral damage of the medial compartment. The follow-up showed excellent clinical results in 96% of patients according to the modified Marshall Score. The radiological results demonstrated a deterioration or development of osteoarthritis of the operated knee joint in 33% of patients, with a statistical significance between radiological and clinical results (p < 0.05). The age of the patients at time of operation and any angular deformity of the knee joint had no statistical significant influence on the radiological results. Women had a statistically significant higher risk to deteriorate or develop gonarthrosis after partial medial meniscectomy than men (p < 0.05). The arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy leads to excellent subjective and functional results, but it could not totally prevent the increase or development of degenerative changes in the medial knee compartment.