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. 2022 Apr;30(4):1430-1435.
doi: 10.1007/s00167-021-06612-w. Epub 2021 Jun 4.

Meniscectomy is still a frequent orthopedic procedure: a pending need for education on the meniscus treatment possibilities

Paweł Bąkowski  1 , Kamilla Bąkowska-Żywicka  2 , Kinga Ciemniewska-Gorzela  3 , Tomasz Piontek  3   4
Affiliations

Meniscectomy is still a frequent orthopedic procedure: a pending need for education on the meniscus treatment possibilities

Paweł Bąkowski et al. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current status of education of polish surgeons in the subject of meniscus repair possibilities. The analysis of the possible correlations between the number of knee arthroscopy procedures performed by polish surgeons and their decision whether to remove or to repair the damaged meniscus has been performed.

Methods: Two-hundred and five registered orthopedic surgeons took part in surveys. The questionnaire contained the description of 20 patients with different types of meniscus damage and three questions concerning the experience in knee arthroscopy (two questions) and a choice of the treatment method (one question). Comparisons were made between knee arthroscopy experts (> 100 arthroscopies performed per year) and non-experts (≤ 100 cases).

Results: The questionnaire was completed by 194 knee surgeons from Poland with different levels in knee arthroscopy experience. For most cases, experts and non-experts agreed on the meniscus treatment method. Statistically significant differences in the recommended treatment between experts and non-experts were observed in 4 cases, where experts decided to repair the damage rather than to perform the meniscectomy.

Conclusions: Meniscectomy remains a frequent orthopedic procedure, despite meniscal sparing having been advocated for several decades now and despite the existence of meniscus repair technique which gives good clinical outcomes-augmentation of the damaged meniscus with a collagen membrane. Polish surgeons still need education on the meniscus treatment possibilities.

Level of evidence: V.

Keywords: Knee arthroscopy; Meniscus repair; Surgical expertise; Survey.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Arthroscopic images of the meniscus in 20 studied cases
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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