[Measurements of tibio-femoral contact area after experimental partial and subtotal meniscectomie (author's transl)].

By means of section material, 24 partial and 58 subtotal meniscectomies were performed and the loss of tibio-femoral contact was evaluated by the Touchier-method planimetrically. In cases of partial resection this loss was 12% only, where as in subtotal resection 46%, where by the remaining contact zones lay in the central-, anyway meniscusfree area. The diagram of the chondral splitting lines showed a maximum of compression here, consecutively the remaining contact zone is reduced to the in earlier times most affected cartilage areas. The result correlates to the appearance of chondromalacies of the central tibial plateau in our own section cases and of postoperative osteoarthritis after subtotal meniscectomies in literature. Subtotal meniscectomies lead to incongruence and increased pressure. a pseudo-regeneration seems not to compensate the meniscus function sufficiently. A result for the clinic one should, when possible, resect menisci only partially.