Arthroscopic Treatment for the Discoid Lateral Meniscus

Abstract

Seventeen patients with 19 symptomatic discoid latetal menisci were reviewed at an average follow-up of 46 months. Their average age at surgery was 22.3 years and 11 patients (13 Knees) were less than twenty years old. All knees were treated with arthroscopic total or subtotal meniscectomy. We evaluated arthroscopic findings of cartilage at surgery, clinical results, radiological changes, and musle atrophy of the quadriceps postoperatively. 8 knees (42.1%) had excellent clinical results, 11 (57.9%) had good results. There were no fair or poor results. Cartilaginous damage or irregularity were seen arthroscopically in the lateral compartment of 7 knees at surgery and 14 knees revealed some radiological changes postoperatively. However there was no correlation between clinical results and arthroscopic or radiological findings. Clinical results were influenced by age and postoperative musle atrophy.