Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery
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Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Dec 2018
Meta AnalysisArthroscopic meniscal surgery versus conservative management in patients aged 40 years and older: a meta-analysis.
The efficacy of arthroscopic meniscus surgery in old aged patients remains controversial. The purpose of the present study was to review published studies comparing arthroscopic meniscal surgery with conservative management to treat meniscal injuries in patients 40 years of age and older. ⋯ The efficacy of arthroscopic surgery was not superior to conservative management in this type of patients. Therefore, arthroscopic meniscal surgery should not be recommended as a first choice of treatment for degenerative meniscal tears. In patients over 40 years of age, arthroscopic surgery should be cautiously considered for degenerative meniscal tears and only when there has not been a satisfactory response to conservative management.