A partial meniscectomy is the removal of a part of a meniscus.
A partial meniscectomy may leave the outer rim intact.
The all-important outer rim
The outer rim is the most important part when it comes to absorbing and defecting the vertical forces going through the knee. If the damaged part has to be removed, the surgeon will try to at least retain the outer rim.
Controversy
There is ongoing controversy about whether trimming of a bit of degenerative meniscus is better than doing nothing and just relying on physiotherapy.
Peer-reviewed papers
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Quote:
"...there is little consensus among surgeons about the drivers of good outcomes following [arthroscopic partial meniscectomy]....A central tenet of managing meniscal pathology is to preserve tissue whenever possible....patients who fail nonoperative treatment should be counseled regarding the risks of [arthroscopic partial meniscectomy] before proceeding to surgical management...."
Citation: Avila A, Vasavada K, Shankar DS, Petrera M, Jazrawi LM, Strauss EJ. Current Controversies in Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2022 Oct;15(5):336-343. doi: 10.1007/s12178-022-09770-7. Epub 2022 Jun 21. PMID: 35727503; PMCID: PMC9463417.
Synonyms:
meniscal trim
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