[Arthroscopic treatment of intra-articular meniscal cysts].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the treatment and therapeutic efficacy of intra-articular meniscal cysts by arthroscopy.


METHODS
From January 2005 to December 2009, 9 cases of intra-articular meniscal cysts were treated by arthroscopy, including 5 males and 4 females, with an average age of 33.8 years (range, 24-46 years). Six patients suffered in left knees, 3 in right ones. Just 1 case had trauma history, the others had no obvious predisposing causes. The average course of the disease was 24.2 months (range, 4-36 months). The Lysholm score was (74.2 +/- 11.6) points. Arthroscopy showed that the locations of cysts were the anterior horn of lateral meniscus in 8 cases and the anterior horn of medial meniscus in 1 case; all being single cyst (of them, 3 being multilocular cyst).


RESULTS
All incisions healed primarily with no complications of infection and joint effusion. All 9 patients were followed up from 3 to 48 months with an average of 12.7 months. Preoperative symptoms disappeared or reduced and the range of motion of the knee returned to normal. The Lysholm score was (95.1 +/- 3.4) points after 3 months of operation, showing significant difference (P < 0.01) when compared with the score before operation. According to assessment standard described by Choy, the treatment outcome was excellent in 6 cases, good in 2 cases, and general in 1 case; the excellent and good rate was 88.9%. No recurrence was found during follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Arthroscopic surgery shows the advantages to maintain good function of knee for the treatment of meniscal cyst, it is the best choice for intra-articular meniscal cysts because of its mini-trauma, rapid recovery, thorough treatment and less recurrence. Simultaneously, partial or total meniscectomy or meniscus repairing under arthroscopy is performed.
Wang
Min
M
Department of Orthopaedics, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, PR China. wangmin@tmmu.edu.cn
Zhang
Xia
X
Hao
Yong
Y
Zhou
Yue
Y
Wang
Jian
J
Zhang
Zhengfeng
Z
Li
Changqing
C
D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005260:Female; D045888:Ganglion Cysts / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult