title: Prognostic factors affecting the outcome of arthroscopic saucerization in discoid lateral meniscus: a retrospective analysis of 48 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the results and prognostic factors affecting the outcome of arthroscopic saucerization for discoid lateral meniscus (DLM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight patients who underwent arthroscopic saucerization for DLM between January 2009 and January 2012 in two hospitals were included. There were 21 (43.8%) male and 27 (56.3%) female patients with a mean age of 36.02 ± 14.5 (range 9-65) years at the time of operation. According to Watanabe classification, 33 (68.7%) patients had type II (incomplete) discoid meniscus and 15 (31.3%) had type I (complete) discoid meniscus. Of the 48 patients, 26 (54.2%) had an associated lateral meniscal tear. Seventeen patients (35.4%) had accompanying ligamentous, chondral and/or medial meniscal lesions. The symptoms were present for a mean of 8.04 ± 4.48 (range 1-24) months before the operation. All patients were followed up with a mean of 27.7 ± 10.7 (range 12-47) months using Lysholm knee score. We analyzed the relationship between the outcome variable (Lysholm knee score at the final follow-up) and the predictor variables (age, gender, type of DLM, presence of meniscal tear, duration of symptoms, follow-up and accompanying intra-articular lesions).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean preoperative Lysholm knee score was 46.6 ± 10.2 points and increased to 85.08 ± 13.45 points at the final follow-up (p = 0.0001). Twenty (41.7%) excellent, seven (14.6%) good, nineteen (39.6%) fair and two (4.2%) poor results have obtained. No complications were observed in any patient. Regression analysis showed that age was the only predictor of the Lysholm score at the final follow-up (R2 = 0.545, p = 0.0001). The linear regression equation was (Lysholm score at final follow-up) = 106.1 - [0.58 × (age of patient)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that arthroscopic saucerization is an effective and safe treatment modality for DLM. Furthermore, age of the patient was shown to be the most important prognostic factor over the final clinical outcome. An excellent or a good result can be expected when the patient is young at the time of operation.
  
  
  METHODS
  IV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Uncali mah. 32. cadde Samut Comfort Palace 29/E2, Konyaalti, Antalya, Turkey, drozkankose@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kose
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Celiktas
authors.forename: O F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Egerci
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozyurek
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sarpel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome