Prospective Trial of Arthroscopic Meniscectomy for Degenerative Meniscus Tears

Arthroscopic meniscectomy is among the most commonly performed orthopedic surgical procedures in the VA system. There remains substantial uncertainty, however, regarding the short term benefits and the long term consequences of arthroscopic meniscectomy in patients with degenerative meniscus tears. Of major concern is the fact that degenerative meniscus tears are associated with osteoarthritis, and it is known that within two years of surgery, arthroscopic debridement for osteoarthritis is no better than placebo in relieving pain and restoring function. Longer term, meniscectomy has been shown to be associated with elevated risk of osteoarthritis development, raising the concern that meniscectomy can actually be harmful. The purpose of this study is to determine whether meniscectomy in the setting of a degenerative meniscus tear is of any clinical value. Determining this would either justify the expenses associated with arthroscopic meniscectomy on a large number of patients, or would identify an area of significant potential cost savings.