Removal of the medial plica in cases of symptomatic plica with femoral condyle OA resulted in 88% excellent results at 6 months and 94% excellent results at 1 year. Conclusion was the plica was helping precipitate the OA.
Short- and mid-term results of plica excision in patients with mediopatellar plica and associated cartilage degeneration
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy November 2010, Volume 18, Issue 11, pp 1526-1531
Ahmet Guney, Okkes Bilal, Mithat Oner, Mehmet Halici, Yildirim Turk, Mehmet Tuncel
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00167-010-1125-1
- “Seventy-six surgically treated patients with mediopatellar plica and associated cartilage degeneration at medial femoral condyle (MFC) and/or medial pole of patella were included”
They concluded:
“Surgical excision of mediopatellar plica associated with cartilage degeneration appears to result in substantial clinical improvement, thus it represents an effective treatment modality.”
Comment – mentioned this to an orthopedic surgeon who felt it was baloney but am not so sure.