[Late results after meniscectomy]

Lesion of the meniscus is the most frequently occurring lesion in the region of the knee joint. Opinions are still divided as to the effects of partial, subtotal or total meniscectomy in provoking and/or promoting arthrosis. In this study, 70 patients with isolated injury of the meniscus were followed up on an average 11 years after meniscectomy. The subjective and clinical findings are juxtaposed with the x-ray findings. It was found that no arthrosis or no increase of the already preoperatively existing degree of arthrosis was seen in only 21.4% of the patients. Correlations are set up between instability resulting from meniscectomy on the one hand, and degree of arthrosis on the other.