Ten patients underwent meniscectomy using a medial collateral ligament-dividing approach. Ten randomly chosen patients had a meniscectomy through the standard anteromedial approach and served as controls. The ligament-dividing approach allowed easy, complete removal of the medial meniscus under direct vision. However, postoperative studies showed statistically increased varusvalgus and anteroposterior instability with the ligament-dividing approach as compared with the controls. The patients operated on with the former approach also had more difficulty in attaining a full range of motion of the knee.