Knee Arthroscopic Surgery in Middle-Aged Patients With Meniscal Symptoms: A 10-Year Follow-up of a Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Short- and midterm evaluations of arthroscopic meniscal surgery have shown little or no effect in favor of surgery, although long-term effects, including radiographic changes, are unknown.

Purpose: To compare the 10-year outcomes in middle-aged patients with meniscal symptoms between a group that received an exercise program alone and a group that received knee arthroscopy in addition to the exercise program with respect to the prevalence of radiographic and symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA), patient-reported outcomes, and clinical status.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Knee Arthroscopic Surgery in Middle-Aged Patients With Meniscal Symptoms: A 5-Year Follow-up of a Prospective, Randomized Study.

Background: Arthroscopic meniscal surgery is a common orthopaedic procedure in middle-aged patients, but the efficacy of this procedure has been questioned. In this study, we followed up the only randomized controlled trial that has shown a 1-year benefit from knee arthroscopic surgery with an exercise program compared with an exercise program alone.

Purpose: To (1) evaluate whether knee arthroscopic surgery combined with an exercise program provided an additional 5-year benefit compared with an exercise program alone in middle-aged patients with meniscal symptoms, (2) determine whether baseline mechanical symptoms affected the outcome, and (3) compare radiographic changes between treatment groups.