Medium-Term Results of Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy from a Single High-Volume Center.

AIM: Clinical practice is moving away from treating meniscal tears in patients with osteoarthritis unless there are mechanical symptoms. This study assessed the risk of needing further surgery for osteoarthritis in the 5 years following partial meniscectomy in different age groups and different grades of knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: All partial meniscectomies were performed by the senior author during a 31-month period. Data were collected and analyzed retrospectively using electronic patients' records and imaging database. Patients who had previous arthroscopy, anterior cruciate ligament pathology, discoid meniscus or were less than 34 years old were excluded from the study. Range of follow-up was 3 to 5 years. Osteoarthritis was classified intra-operatively using the Outerbridge classification. Knees that needed further surgical treatment in the form of joint replacement or osteotomy were considered as failures. The population was split into three groups according to their age (35-54, 55-64 and 65+). Survival analysis was calculated using the life table method. RESULTS: 207 knees were included. In the 35-54 age group, patients with no/mild OA had a survival rate of 97.59% and the severe OA group had a survival rate of 73.5%. In the 55-64 age group, these figures were 100% and 73.6%, respectively. In the >65 age group, the survival rates were 100% and 65%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that patients with no/mild OA should be considered for APM. Patient's with meniscal tears and severe OA should be counseled on the outcomes and risks of further surgery after an APM.

Indication for CT following index finger metacarpophalangeal joint dislocation - A case report.

Currently Kaplan's criteria on examination are used as the gold standard diagnostic tool for complex dorsal dislocations of the index finger Metacarpophalangeal joint. Our case report reveals a situation when the diagnosis was obscure and when conventional X-rays were not beneficial. With the use of CT imaging we were able to confirm the diagnosis of complex dorsal dislocation of the index finger Metacarpophalangeal joint and also reveal multiple other injuries. We feel that CT imaging should be performed on every individual who has been diagnosed with this injury or where the diagnosis cannot be confirmed with conventional methods. CT can be useful in diagnosis of index finger Metacarpophalangeal joint dislocations and also in diagnosing other fractures that may have been sustained in this high energy/impact injury.