[Indicators for arthroscopy of the bone joint]

Everyday practice has convinced us that the diagnosis of the affection and mainly of the injury of the knee joint is far from being so simple as it may seem at first glance and as it is still considered by many orthopaedic surgeons and traumatologists. The determination of proper diagnosis must be based first of all on anamnestic data, thorough clinical and other supporting examinations. It has been found out that both the sensitivity and specificiy of individual tests are lower than it has been so far assumed. It is given by a number of factors such as: the personal experience of the physician, his specialization, adherence to the proper performance of individual examination tests, interpretation of the results gained. And mainly in this point the irreplaceability was been proved of artroscopy which can be considered the optimum examination procedure in determining the diagnosis. Arthroscopy is also being applied in the growing range of operation procedures the morbidity rate of which is much lower than in conventional procedures. With regard to the fact that at present artroscopy is undergoing also in Czechoslovakia a "quiet" revolution, the present communication should contribute to the proper indication of arthroscopy of the knee joint.