title: Meniscectomy in children and adolescents. A long-term follow-up study.
abstract: Thirty-nine patients treated with total meniscectomy younger than 16 years of age were studied. The average follow-up period was 21 years; 71% of the patients reported pain; 68%, stiffness; 54%, swelling; and 41%, giving way. Approximately half the patients described progression of symptoms, but only 27% were asymptomatic. Only 10% noted limitations at work, but 62% had limitations in sports. Twelve percent have had further knee surgery. Forty-nine percent received unsatisfactory subjective/functional ratings. On physical examination, 25% of patients had range of motion loss of greater than 5 degrees, 22% had thigh atrophy of greater than 1 cm, and 20% developed substantial instability. Overall, 27% received unsatisfactory objective ratings. Ninety percent of patients had abnormal roentgenograms. Changes occurred predominantly in the meniscectomized compartment. Forty-four percent of patients had unsatisfactory roentgenographic ratings. Overall ratings indicated that 63% of patients' results rated unsatisfactory. More unsatisfactory results occurred in patients with a follow-up period of longer than 26 years, in those with substantial instability, and in males. Few differences existed between medial and lateral meniscectomies or with increasing durations of symptoms preoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, University of Iowa, Iowa City.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Wroble
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Campion
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: el-Khoury
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Albright
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000601:surgery*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012307:Risk Factors