Long-Term Results of Meniscectomy of the Temporomandibular Joint

This article examines the results of 212 meniscectomies of the TMJ that the author completed between 1947 and 1979. Nearly all of the operations were successful, and there were few complications. The author examined many of the patients periodically after surgery was completed, and he found the long-term results to be generally stable, with only 4% of the patients having any arthritic changes in the joint.The article also presents case histories of four patients whom the author examined periodically for 14, 21, 24, and 30 years after surgery. Long-term results were good. The author concludes that meniscectomy can be a reliable and successful method for treating temporomandibular joint dysfunction.