COMPARISON OF THE RESULTS OF MEDIAL AND LATERAL MENISCECTOMY IN STABLE KNEES OF OLD PATIENTS

Abstract

There are a few reports in the literature that compare the results of medial and lateral meniscectomy, especially in older patients.

Eighty three patients that underwent partial menis-cectomy were studied (45 men, 38 women), all older than 45 years. Forty eight cases considered medial and 35 cases lateral meniscectomy, mainly of the posterior horn. According to Outbridge and French Arthroscopic system criteria, there was not significant difference for the osteoarthritic changes that were found arthroscopically. 48% of the patients had no arthritic damage. Radiological evaluation of the results was done with Fairbank classification and International Knee Documentation Committee criteria, pre and postoperatively. Preoperatively, 50% of the patients had no pathologic radiological findings and postoperatively, both groups had similar radiological results. Tapper – Hoover criteria and Lysholm II Score were used for the evaluation of clinical results. 83% of medial and 78% of lateral meniscus tear’s repair had satisfactory clinical results and no statistical significance was documented in our series, despite reports from the literature of poorer clinical results for lateral meniscectomy. In both groups, clinical results were not influenced by the severity of cartilage lesions or by the age of patients, but by the amount of meniscus removal and the delay of arthroscopy, greater than 2 months.