Technical note
Arthroscopic Excision of the Symptomatic Discoid Medial Meniscus in One Piece: A Surgical Technique

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Abstract

We introduce a surgical technique of arthroscopic excision of the symptomatic discoid medial meniscus in one piece. Compared with other surgical techniques of partial meniscectomy, our technique has several advantages. It is easier, less aggressive, there is less formation of foreign bodies, and it is a time-saving technique.

Section snippets

Surgical technique

Three unique portals are used in this technique: a medial patellofemoral axillary portal, a high anterolateral portal, and a low anteromedial portal15 (Fig 1). The first viewing portal is the medial patellofemoral axillary portal. It is located at the corner crossed by the inferomedial edge of the patella and the anterior edge of the medial femoral condyle. An arthroscope is inserted and maintained through this portal throughout the procedure. The second portal is the high anterolateral portal.

Discussion

Various methods for the treatment of discoid menisci have been introduced and described. Surgical treatment is indicated for a symptomatic discoid meniscus only.1, 2, 3 In the past, total meniscectomy was recommended as a treatment of a symptomatic discoid meniscus.5, 9, 10 But other studies have reported that total meniscectomy makes for progressive osteoarthritis and poor prognosis,16, 17 and biomechanical studies of knee function have emphasized the important role of the meniscus in the

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      Several modes of treatment have been described for symptomatic lesions. Total meniscectomy [7,18,46–48] was the reference treatment until partial meniscectomy and meniscoplasty, which are now the most frequent techniques, were developed [5,11,12,17,25] (Table 3). Short-term results have not shown one technique to be preferable to the other, although meniscectomy restores a semilunar meniscus with more harmonious distribution of femorotibial stress [41].

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      A histomorphologic study was performed in 10 complete-type discoid lateral meniscus specimens obtained by arthroscopic partial meniscectomy by use of a technique of excision in 1 piece, as described by Kim et al.16 (Fig 1).

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    Cite this article as: Kim S-J, Kwun JD, Jung KA, Kim JM. Arthroscopic excision of the symptomatic discoid medial meniscus in one piece: A surgical technique. Arthroscopy 2005;21:1515.e1-1515.e4 [doi:10.1016/j.arthro.2005.09.012].

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