Arthroscopic management lateral meniscal cysts: About 105 cysts with 5 years of follow-up

A retrospective study was performed on 122 patients with 124 lateral meniscal cysts. These were selected from a original pool of 8100 knee arthroscopies (1.5%). Eight of the patients were lost to followup, 11 patients had chronic anterior cruciate ligament deficiency or previous medial meniscectomy, therefore 105 of 124 cases were included in this study. A physical examination was performed on each knee emphasizing, motion, pain, swelling, and ligament evaluation. Radigraphs were graded for degenerative changes for each knee. Average follow-up was 5 years (range of 1 to 12.5 years). The mean age was 33 years (range of 12 to 69 years). All patients had presented tenderness over the joint line with a palpable mass. All were noted to have a meniscal tear at the time of surgery and 60 (57%) had a horizontal cleavage component. All cases were managed by arthroscopy. Meniscal tears were treated by arthroscopic partial lateral meniscectomy in 104 cases and meniscal repair in one case. Cysts were treated by intra-articular debridement in 91 cases and open cystectomy in 14 cases. Eleven cysts recurred and a second arthroscopy was required. The clinical results, including those cases with recurrent cysts, were excellent or good in 87% of cases and in the 13% remaining cases, the results were fair or poor. Osteoarthritis following treatment for meniscal cysts occurred in 9% of cases. When there was a cyst and no other intra-articular damage, the results were excellent. For lateral meniscal cysts, arthroscopic partial meniscectomy with intra-articular debridement alone or associated with open cystectomy yields predictable results.