Arthroscopic meniscectomy of traumatic versus atraumatic tears in middle aged patients: is there a difference?

Meniscal tears can be classified in various ways, one of which is into traumatic or degenerative. It is not known whether partial meniscectomy of clinically defined traumatic compared to degenerative tears in middle age patients has favorable results. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy of clinically defined traumatic to degenerative meniscal tears in middle age patients.

Eighty-six middle aged patients with stable knees and no radiographic signs of osteoarthritis who had arthroscopic partial meniscectomy were divided into a study group of 43 patients with a preceding knee injury related to their knee symptoms (traumatic group) and a control group of 43 uninjured patients (atraumatic group), matched by age, sex, body mass index and comorbidities. The surgical findings and postoperative clinical scores were compared between the two groups.

There were no statistical differences in surgical findings of tear types and degree of chondral lesions. At the end of the follow-up 33 (77 %) patients in each group were satisfied to have had the operation. The median Lysholm score improved from 65.9 ± 17.4 to 77.4 ± 21.2 points (P = 0.001) in the traumatic group and from 65.3 ± 17 to 82.4 ± 17.7 in the atraumatic group (P < 0.0001).

Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in middle aged patients with stable knees and no signs of radiographic osteoarthritis improve pain and function. There were no differences in surgical findings and short term clinical outcome between patients with and without preceding knee injury.