Orthopaedic Surgery

Answer 4 Arthroscopic débridement and partial meniscectomy. Complex, or degenerative meniscal tears respond well to partial meniscectomy. Despite recent media attention regarding the role of arthroscopy in arthritic knees,1 meniscal tears were not addressed in this study. The role of viscosupplementation remains unclear, but most physicians agree that this treatment is only a temporizing measure for more advanced arthrosis.1 Knee replacement, either for one compartment or total replacement, is reserved for more severe arthritis. Ideally, replacement should be delayed until the seventh decade of life. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy still has an important role in patients who have complex meniscal tears with mechanical symptoms. REFERENCE 1. Moseley JB, O¹Malley K, Petersen NJ, et al. A controlled trial of arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee. N Engl J Med 2002;347:81-8. Click here to return to the questions

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