Abstract

Objectives: We evaluated the mid-term results of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in patients with lateral meniscus cysts.
Patients and methods: The study included 11 patients (7 women, 4 men; mean age 38 years; range 22 to 48 years) with a diagnosis of lateral meniscus cyst. Following lateral partial meniscectomy, the cyst was decompressed with the use of an arthroscopic shaver in patients with a connection to a meniscal tear. Functional capacity of the patients was evaluated by the Lysholm and Tegner scoring systems. All the patients were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and 34 months after surgery. The mean follow- up period was 35 months (range 5 to 72 months).
Results: Complaints included pain in seven patients (64%), recurrent effusions in three patients (27%), and instability in one patient (9%). Seven patients (64%) had a history of trauma. On arthroscopic examination, meniscal tears were detected in 10 patients (91%). Complete type discoid meniscus was found in two patients (18%). In two patients with patellofemoral symptoms, arthroscopy showed grade 2 chondromalacia in the medial facet of the patella. The cysts were localized in the medial and anterior 1/3 of the lateral meniscus, with most of the tears being between the popliteus tendon and the lateral collateral ligament. Postoperatively, Lysholm and Tegner scores improved from 66.7 to 84.6 (p=0.03) and 2.3 to 7.8 (p=0.03), respectively. No recurrences were detected on control MRI scans.
Conclusion: Meniscectomy of the meniscal tears and decompression of the cyst material are effective in the arthroscopic treatment of lateral meniscal cysts.