C. Diaconu
(chondral versus internal meniscus lesions)
Diaconu Carmen
Sports Medicine Clinic of Craiova
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the recovery process after the arthroscopic knee surgery in patients suffering from internal meniscus and/or chondral knee injury. The athletes were admitted to our Trauma Department between January and June 2005. 63 subjects were included (M/F = 44/19, mean age = 24.3). First, the athletes underwent clinical and imaging evaluation, then arthroscopic intervention (internal meniscetomy and/or chondral debridement). Checkups were performed weekly by monitoring the articular pain (the McGill questionnaire – adapted), the thigh perimeter and the joint mobility. Statistical analysis was performed using the EpiInfo software. Three groups emerged from our study: 38 cases suffering from internal meniscus injury, 9 cases with chondral lesions and 16 cases with associated lesions. The pain evaluation revealed statistical significant differences between the meniscus and the chondral groups [week 4: : p = 0,0001, RR = 3,67 (1,07-12,58) and week 6: p = 0,01, RR = 1,71 (0,95-3,97)]. The use of goniometer confirmed the previous findings [week 4: p = 0,000, RR = 4,14 (4,45 – 14,12) and week 6: p = 0,000, RR = 2,92 (1,16 – 7,37)]. The thigh perimeter wasn’t correlated with the first two parameters. Our analysis showed that the patients suffering form internal meniscus lesions recovered better than the ones with chondral damage. The associated lesions had the worst outcome, as predicted.
Key words:
meniscus, cartilage, rehabilitation
