In vivo stability testing of post-meniscectomy knees.

Post-meniscectomy knees examined with an instrumented clinical testing device reveal that meniscectomy alone does not cause a measurable degree of instability. If meniscectomy causes a minor degree of instability, the degree is within the right-left variation for a normal population. Medical meniscectomy in combination with a torn anterior cruciate results in an increased anterior-posterior instability at 20 degrees knee flexion. The device used in this study was more reliable in diagnosing increased anterior-posterior instability secondary to anterior-cruciate tear than was a clinical examiner.