Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy for Degenerative Meniscal Tear

To the Editor: Previous studies have suggested that partial meniscectomy has little benefit in patients with advanced osteoarthritis(1),(2) but some benefit in those with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis.(3) Sihvonen and colleagues (Dec. 26 issue)(4) attempted to assess the benefit of partial meniscectomy in patients without osteoarthritis. However, although the authors excluded patients with radiographic degenerative changes, the declaration of no knee osteoarthritis is misleading. It is important to note that patients in this study did have cartilage degeneration. In fact, 80% of the patients in the partial-meniscectomy group and 67% of those in the sham group had degenerative or osteoarthritic changes ...