The additional benefits of Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy (APM) in middle aged patients with a non-obstructive meniscal tear are under scrutiny for years. Despite the most recent publications recommending to apply non-operative treatment (exercise therapy, injections, drugs) instead of APM in this patient group, the expected decrease in number of operations is slower then expected. Orthopaedic surgeons therefore seem unconvinced by the evidence to change practice.~For this reason the investigators conducted an international survey amongst orthopaedic surgeons in which the investigators aimed to (1) determine the ability of orthopaedic surgeons to predict the outcomes of APM and physical therapy (PT) in middle aged patients with a non-obstructive meniscal tear, and (2) to determine which patient factors direct surgeons towards APM and towards PT.
In this study the investigators examined the ability of orthopaedic surgeons to predict the outcome of surgery and non-operative treatment in patients (age 45 to 70) with a non-obstructive meniscal tear.