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Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Course Instructor

Erika Kancler

Capstone Semester

Fall 2016

Date of Graduation

Spring 5-4-2017

Abstract

Objective: To determine the efficacy of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy versus nonoperative therapies in the treatment of degenerative meniscus tears in adults 35 years of age and older.

Design: Systematic literature review.

Methods: Primary searches were done in PubMed and New England Journal of Medicine, using key search terms including meniscectomy, degenerative meniscus tears, conservative, physical therapy, and long term outcomes. Within both search engines the following limits were set: humans, English, publication within past 5 years, full text, randomized control trials, adults: >35 years.

Results: The Yim et al. study was included due to its examination of both meniscectomy and nonoperative treatment for degenerative meniscus tear and the use of a standardized exercise and medication regimen in both groups.1 The demographics of the two groups in this study were highly comparable. The Katz et al. study was included secondary to its large, multicenter, randomized controlled trial assessing symptomatic patients 45 years or older with meniscus tears.2 The Sihvonen et al. study was included as it was a double blinded study assessing symptomatic patients with meniscus tears and optimal treatment outcomes.3

Conclusion: Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy provided no long term relief in functional status or pain after 12 months when compared to the conservative treatment of a physical therapy regimen.1,2,3

Document Type

Presentation

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