[Significance of early meniscectomy in the etiology of severe arthritis of the knee].

With reference to 3579 meniscectomies performed in our clinic during 18 years as well as to cases with severe knee damage treated by arthroplasty, arthrodesis or correction osteotomy and their aetiopathological analysis with regard to previously performed meniscectomies, the following conclusions are drawn: Earlier meniscectomies seem to occur relatively often (up to 20%) in clinical cases of severe destructive processes in the knee e.g. knee arthritis. With reference to 3579 meniscectomies performed in this period this number is very low (1.34%) and - under statistical aspects - therefore not essentially important. The analysis of the cases of our clinic operated on by means of plastics, arthrodesis or correction osteotomies showed, that an earlier meniscectomy was performed because of static axis faults. These axis deviations were the main reason not only for the meniscopathy but also for the further development of knee arthritis. Cases of severe knee arthritis, who could be referred to an earlier meniscectomy (traumatic lesion) without any deviation of the leg axis were very rare. The rarity of the development of a knee arthritis after meniscectomy seems to prove that evidently there is no disadvantage of the mainly performed total meniscectomy compared to the subtotal procedure.