title: Roentgenographic changes after arthroscopic meniscectomy: five-year follow-up in patients more than 45 years old.
abstract: Fifty knees with a mean follow-up time of greater than 5 years after arthroscopic meniscectomy were evaluated clinically and roentgenographically. Clinically, patients did well, with 98% patient satisfaction and 90% good or excellent results based on a modified Lysholm score. Although postoperative roentgenography showed some progression of Fairbank's changes in 61% with significant progression in 15% of knees, when changes in the nonoperative knee were considered, only 40% of operative knees showed progression, with only 4% of these knees showing significant progression. Normal results on preoperative anteroposterior roentgenography with the patient weight bearing and an anatomic tibiofemoral axis of greater than or equal to 4 degrees of valgus correlated with better long-term roentgenographic results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Burlington, MA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Covall
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Wasilewski
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011859:Radiography