목적: 관절경을 이용한 반월상 연골 절제술 후의 슬관절의 임상적 및 방사선학적 변화를 알아보고자 한다. 대상 및 방법: 1990년 10월부터 1992년 9월까지 반월상 연골의 손상으로 본원에서 슬관절의 관절경적 시술을 시행 받은 144명의 환자 중 $10sim15$년 뒤 장기 추적이 가능했던 79명의 환자를 대상으로 임상적 평가와 체중 부하 슬관절 방사선 촬영을 시행하여 그 변화를 관찰하였다. 79명 중 52명은 남자였으며, 평균 연령은 34.6세$(17sim48)$였다. 결과: 추시 결과, Fairbank 변화와 관절강 협소를 포함한 방사선학적 변화는 부분 절제술 후 54예 중 23예(42.6%), 전 절제술 후 25예 중 22예(88.0%)에서 발생하여 전 절제술 후 많은 변화를 보였다(p=0.03). 임상적 결과는 부분 절제술군에서 만족이 54명 중 39명(72.4%), 전 절제군에서 25명 중 14명(56.0%)으로 부분절제술 후 만족도가 높았으나 통계적 의의는 없었다(p=0.24). 결론: 반월상 연골 절제술 후의 평균 12년 후 추시 결과, 방사선적 변화는 전 절제술시 크게 나타났으며, 이러한 변화는 슬관절 기능과 활동성에 영향을 미치지 않는 것으로 생각된다.
Purpose: To study the long-term outcome of arthroscopic meniscectomy with regard to clinical symptoms and radiographic signs of osteoarthritic change. Materials and Methods: The materials for the investigation consisted of 79 individuals among 144 patients who underwent knee arthroscopy due to an isolated meniscal tear from October 1990 to September 1992 in our hospital. Those 79 individuals were followed up for $10{sim}15$ years after the knee arthroscopy and were took clinical examination through the review of knee radiographies obtained with weight bearing. 52 of the 79 patients were men, and the mean age of the total materials was 34.6 years old (in the range $17{sim}48$). Results: At follow-up, radiographic changes including Fairbank changes and joint space narrowing were seen from 45 of the 79 patients (56.2%). In other calculation, radiographic changes were seen in 23 out of 54 patients (42.6%) who had a partial meniscectomy, but were presented in 22 out of 25 patients (88.0%) who had a total meniscectomy. As a result, more radiographic changes were seen after total meniscectomy (p=0.03). In clinical results, 39 out of 54 patients (72.2%) after partial meniscectomy were satisfactory, and 14 out of 25 patients (56.0%) after total meniscectomy were satisfactory, therefore, more percentage of patients were satisfactory in partial meniscectomy group than in total meniscectomy group, but the statistical differences were absent (p=0.24). Conclusion: The frequency of radiographic changes in $10{sim}15$ years after meniscectomy was related to the quantity of the meniscus removed, but the differences of these changes were low and had little influence on activity and knee function.
