Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy versus Sham Surgery for a Degenerative Meniscal Tear

In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in patients with symptoms of a degenerative medial meniscus tear and no knee osteoarthritis, the outcomes after partial meniscectomy were no better than those after sham surgery. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy is the most common orthopedic procedure performed in the United States. 1 The aim of the procedure is to relieve symptoms attributed to a meniscal tear by removing torn meniscal fragments and trimming the meniscus back to a stable rim. Most treated meniscal tears are associated with degenerative knee disease, which can range from mild chondral changes not visible on a radiograph to established knee osteoarthritis. 2 , 3 The number of arthroscopic surgical procedures performed to treat established knee osteoarthritis, with or without a concomitant meniscal lesion, has decreased dramatically in the past 15 years. 4 , 5 This trend has . . .