[Clinical association between patellofemoral pain with arthroscopic findings]

The purpose of this study was to associate patellofemoral pain with the findings of arthroscopic procedures. A visual analogue scale was used considering that 1 represented no pain and 10 severe pain, the functional Lysholm scale for function, and the Outerbridge classification to determine the grade of the articular cartilage lesion.

The study population was composed of an heterogeneous group of patients with chondral lesions. This is a retrospective, observational and longitudinal study undertaken for a period of 18 months. Sixty-nine patients had patellofemoral pain, and traumatic knee injuries were excluded.

Sixty-eight patients were found to have a chondral lesion, only one patient did not. In the latter only loose body removal was performed. The most frequent procedure was articular lavage, debridement and chondroplasty in 98.5%. Thirty-five patients were found to have knee arthrosis grade IV (50.7%); the broadest functional improvement range occurred in patients with arthrosis grades I and III.

Patients with mild-to-moderate knee arthrosis grades I to III are the ones with the highest chance of success from the perspective of pain relief and functionality of arthroscopic surgery.