Techniques in Knee Surgery, cilt.9, sa.3, ss.150-158, 2010 (SCI-Expanded)
Meniscal injury is a common cause of knee pain and major cause of functional impairment of the knee at young athletic population. Although the menisci were thought to be a vestigial tissue and treated with disrespect as an unnecessary appendage for many years; today it is known that the menisci provide mechanical support, localized pressure distribution, and lubrication to the knee joint. Therefore, a shift toward meniscal preservation has led to the development of new surgical techniques in recent decades as removal of the meniscus constitutes a risk factor for osteoarthritis. Therefore, total meniscectomy has been replaced by arthroscopic partial meniscectomy rather than total meniscectomy. Treatment choice of a meniscal pathologies also depend on patient's age, health, lifestyle, sporting activity level, and request to undergo major surgery and also the location and type of meniscal tear. In this article, we provide a general perspective on evolution of surgical management especially better understanding on meniscectomy procedures in various types of meniscal tears. Copyright © 2010 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.