Ankle arthroscopy in the adolescent patient

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Pediatric Orthopedics

Background:

• Ankle injuries are common in adolescents.
• Persistent ankle discomfort can significantly impact a young patient's quality of life.
• Ankle arthroscopy offers a minimally invasive approach for diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the findings of ankle arthroscopy in a cohort of adolescent patients.
• To identify the common pathologies encountered during ankle arthroscopy in this demographic.
• To correlate arthroscopic findings with clinical symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 15 consecutive ankle arthroscopy cases in adolescent patients.
• Analysis of intraoperative findings, including identified pathologies and tissue status.
• Correlation of arthroscopic findings with pre-operative and post-operative clinical data.

Main Results:

• A total of 15 adolescent patients underwent ankle arthroscopy.
• Medial impingement lesions were the most frequently identified pathology.
• Synovitis was a consistent finding in all cases presenting with persistent ankle discomfort.

Conclusions:

• Ankle arthroscopy is a valuable tool for diagnosing and managing ankle pathologies in adolescents.
• Medial impingement is a prevalent issue requiring arthroscopic intervention in this age group.
• The presence of synovitis may indicate underlying pathology contributing to persistent ankle pain.