Long-term assessment of negative arthroscopies.

A study of 75 patients was performed to assess the accuracy of arthroscopy carried out for clinical diagnosis of meniscal tear. In these patients, arthroscopy did not detect any intraarticular pathology that could explain the preoperative symptoms. Of the 75 patients, seven were subsequently reoperated on, but in 68 the typical symptoms of meniscal tear improved after the diagnostic arthroscopy.