Ipsilateral chondral lesions worsen the long-term prognosis following arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy

The effect of knee cartilage defects that are detected during partial meniscectomy remains controversial in terms of the long-term prognosis on knee function. This study aimed to investigate the effect of concurrent medial compartment focal cartilage lesions on the long-term prognosis of knee function in patients who underwent arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy for traumatic medial meniscal tears.

This retrospective study analyzed 46 patients who underwent arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy between 1991 and 2008 by a single surgeon. Twenty-one patients who underwent arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy due to traumatic meniscal tear had focal chondral lesions only at the medial compartment, and these patients were assigned to group A. Twenty-five patients who had no cartilage lesions in any compartments were assigned to group B. The age, sex, body mass index (BMI), follow-up time, age at the time of surgery, clinical and radiological scores, and perioperative arthroscopy findings were analyzed.

The mean follow-up time was 20 ± 3.7 years. No significant difference was found in the demographic data, and the average age of the patients at the time of operation was 35 ± 9.5 years. Both groups had improved Lysholm score at the last follow-up. Although no difference was found between the groups during the preoperative period, group B had a higher Lysholm score at the last follow-up than group A. The mean International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) scores at the last follow-up were significantly higher in group B. The mean Kellgren-Lawrence grades in the operated knees of group A were higher than those of group B. In group A, a negative correlation was found between the BMI and postoperative Lysholm (r =  - 0.461, p = 0.03) IKDC (r =  - 0.433, p = 0.05) and KOOS (r =  - 0.565, p = 0.008) scores. In group B, no correlation was found between BMI and any score.

Among patients who underwent arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy with an average follow-up of 20 years, those with concurrent focal cartilage defect in the medial compartment had clinically and radiologically worse outcomes than patients without any cartilage defect. Therefore, orthopedic surgeons should be meticulous before performing any arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy in case of concurrent cartilage lesion.

Level III.