Articular Cartilage Degenerates After Subtotal/Total Lateral Meniscectomy but Radiographic XXXX Progression Is Reduced After Meniscal Transplantation.

@entity1 @entity8 @entity4040
BACKGROUND: Little is known about the degree of articular cartilage degeneration after subtotal/total lateral meniscectomy in @entity1 who later undergo isolated @entity8 ( @entity8 ). It has not yet been studied whether arthritic changes as shown on radiographs were lower during the posttransplantation period than during the meniscus-deficient period. HYPOTHESIS: Articular cartilage will significantly degenerate during the meniscus-deficient period, but the progression in radiographic @entity4040 is reduced after @entity8 . STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: This study retrospectively reviewed 49 @entity1 who underwent subtotal/total lateral meniscectomy before isolated @entity8 performed over 1 year later by the same surgeon. International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grades of the femorotibial joint at the time of subtotal/total meniscectomy and at @entity8 were compared. Radiographic evaluation was performed at the time of initial meniscectomy, @entity8 , and the latest follow-up in 38 @entity1 (after 11 @entity1 whose radiographs showed incomplete ossification at the time of meniscectomy were excluded). @entity4040 , based on Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grades, was determined on standing anteroposterior views. Joint space width (JSW) was measured on weightbearing flexion posteroanterior views. RESULTS: Over a mean meniscus-deficient period of 4.5 years (range, 1-13 years), articular cartilage significantly degenerated on the femoral and tibial sides (P < .001). Grade >= 3 degeneration on the lateral tibial plateau was observed in 13 @entity1 (27%) at the time of initial meniscectomy; this incidence doubled to 28 @entity1 (57%) by the time of @entity8 . The K-L grades worsened (P < .001) and JSWs narrowed significantly (-0.65    1.09 mm; P = .001) during the mean meniscus-deficient period of 3.1 years. At radiographic assessment, however, the K-L grades (P = .097) and JSWs (4.06    1.19 vs 3.92    1.21 mm; mean difference, -0.14    0.68 mm; P = .213) did not significantly change during the mean posttransplantation period of 3.8 years. The changes in ICRS grade and JSW during the meniscus-deficient period were not associated with age, body mass index, mechanical axis deviation, or Tegner activity level (P > .05 for all relationships). CONCLUSION: @entity1 who underwent isolated @entity8 showed substantial articular cartilage degeneration at the time of initial subtotal/total lateral meniscectomy, and this degeneration progressed thereafter. Further progression of radiographic @entity4040 was delayed after @entity8 .
