title: Comparison of arthroscopy and arthrotomy for diagnosis of medial meniscal pathology: an ex vivo study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of arthroscopy and arthrotomy for diagnosis of medial meniscal pathology and to evaluate the diagnostic value of medial meniscal probing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ex vivo study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cadaveric canine stifle joints (n=30).
  
  
  METHODS
  Stifle joints were assigned to either a cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) deficient or intact group. Within each stifle joint, no medial meniscal tear, a peripheral detachment, or 1 of 3 variants of vertical longitudinal tears of the medial meniscus were created. Each stifle joint had arthroscopy, craniomedial (CrMed), and caudomedial (CdMed) arthrotomy. Diagnoses were made by both observation and probing. Sensitivity, specificity, and correct classification rate (CCR) for diagnosing the state of the medial meniscus using both observation and probing with all diagnostic methods were calculated. Odds ratios were calculated to determine if probing increased diagnostic accuracy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Arthroscopy with probing was the most sensitive and specific diagnostic method and had the highest CCR. For arthrotomy, CrMed was the most sensitive in CrCL-deficient and CdMed the most sensitive in stable, CrCL-intact stifle joints. For all methods, probing increased their diagnostic accuracy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arthroscopy is the most accurate diagnostic method; however, probing the medial meniscus enhances the diagnostic accuracy of all methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accurate diagnosis of medial meniscal pathology is ideally achieved by means of arthroscopy; however, if arthrotomy is chosen, CrMed should be selected in unstable and CdMed in stable stifle joints. Regardless, medial meniscal probing should be performed to increase diagnostic accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. pozzia@vetmed.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.forename: Blake Eason
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Hildreth
authors.forename: Paivi J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Rajala-Schultz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000473:pathology; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D002102:Cadaver; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000473:pathology*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013264:Stifle / Q000473:pathology