Development of osteonecrosis after arthroscopic meniscal and chondral knee surgery: a report of five cases

The development of osteonecrosis after arthroscopic surgery has been associated with meniscectomy, chondral surgery, and the use of thermal energy. This paper presents five cases, four of which fulfilled the temporal criteria for postarthroscopy necrosis, i.e. presurgical magnetic resonance imaging was obtained at least four weeks after the onset of symptoms). Four cases were treated conservatively while one underwent arthroscopic debridement and microfracturing. The diagnosis of osteonecrosis should be kept in mind in osteoarthritic patients whose knee symptoms manifest a sudden increase without trauma, and in cases with worsening knee symptoms after arthroscopic surgery. The optimal treatment strategy in these patients is still debatable.