[Arthroscopic partial double meniscectomy]

Arthroscopic treatment of meniscal pathology has become a routine procedure within the last 10 years. In our patients who underwent arthroscopic surgery for multiple reasons we found 226 cases with combined lesions of the medial and lateral menisci. Eliminating the patients with instabilities, chondral lesions grade IV and general diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and those who had had surgery previously, 71 patients were left. Forty-four (62%) were male and 27 (38%) female. The average age was 52 years. The lesion was located in the right knee in 41 cases (58%) and in 31 cases (42%) in the left one. The duration of symptoms was more than 3 months in most cases. Eleven patients (15%) had a trauma in their history. A standardized interview according to the Tapper and Hoover score was carried out in each patient. Out of the 77 patients with partial double meniscectomy we were able to examine 55 patients. According to the Tapper and Hoover score the following results were evaluated: 17 patients (31%) rated excellent. In 28 cases (51%) the result was good. 8 patients (15%) showed fair results. The main cause in this group was a slight feeling of instability and a mild loss of function (lack of flexion < 5 degrees, lack of extension < 10 degrees). Two patients (3.6%) were rated poor. Of the patients 89% were satisfied with this surgical procedure and would choose it again. Only 11% (n = 6) were not satisfied with the outcome of the procedure and would prefer arthrotomy. Our follow-up study indicates that arthroscopic double partial meniscectomy gives good results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)