How Does the Presence of Unstable Chondral Lesions Affect Patient Outcomes After Partial Meniscectomy? The ChAMP Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Chondral lesions are commonly encountered during arthroscopic partial nneniscectomy (APM); however, it is unknown how these lesions affect postoperative outcomes. Purpose: The authors compared postoperative outcomes among patients with and without unstable chondral lesions 1 year after APM. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: The authors conducted a secondary analysis of data from the ChAMP (Chondral Lesions and Meniscus Procedures) randomized controlled trial. They compared the following outcomes for patients with unstable chondral lesions that were left in situ and observed (CL-noDeb) versus patients without unstable chondral lesions (NoCL) at 1 year after APM: Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, visual analog scale for pain, the Short Form Health Survey, range of motion, quadriceps circumference, and effusion. Multivariate linear regression was used to obtain mean differences (MDs) with corresponding 95% Cls adjusted for age, body mass index, and preoperative score (for postoperative scores). Results: Compared with the CL-noDeb group, the NoCL group had greater improvement in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index for pain (MD, 7.9, 95% CI: 2.7-13.1), stiffness (MD, 9.1, 95% CI: 1.9-16.3), and physical function (MD, 4.6, 95% CI: 0.1-9.0) and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for pain (MD, 8.4, 95% CI: 2.7-14.0), function in sport and recreation (MD, 11, 95% CI: 3.0-19.1), and quality of life (MD, 10.4, 95% CI: 2.3-18.5). The NoCL group was less likely than the CL-noDeb group to have an effusion (P =.02) 1 year after surgery. Conclusion: Patients undergoing APM without unstable chondral lesions had better outcomes than patients with unstable chondral lesions.