Twelve children with thirteen symptomatic discoid lateral menisci were reviewed after a mean follow-up of 11 months. Their mean age at operation was 11.2 years. Twelve knees were treated with arthroscopic subtotal meniscectomy and one knee was treated with arthroscopic meniscal repair. This study evaluated the relationship between radiological changes and clinical results after the operation.
Clinical results were analyzed using Ikeuchi's grading system. Excellent results were achieved in 7, good in 2, fair in 1 and poor in 2. One of the knees judged as poor, developed a new tear in a repaired meniscus 5 months after the operation.
Radiologic examination revealed osteoarthritic changes in 2 of 9 knees, and mild changes in 4 knees. There was no relation ship between clinical results and radiologic changes.
Meniscectomy for the discoid lateral meniscus does not always develop deterioration in the articular cartilage in children, but does in adults. However we found cartilage deterioration in one case after second-look arthroscopy. Therefore, even if patients are asymptomatic, we must follow them up for a long period.
