[Arthroscopy following pediatric injuries of the knee joint--a helpful or superfluous diagnostic procedure?]

Between 1983 and 1987, 1082 arthroscopies were carried out on the knee joint. This included 48 cases of children between the age of seven and fifteen with knee injuries. In 21 cases the clinical diagnosis was confirmed. In 5 cases the clinically indications for an operation could not be confirmed. In 9 cases of arthroscopy, it was demonstrated that an operation was necessary, although this was not clinically diagnosed. Finally in 15 cases, specific conservative therapy could be planned on the basis of the medical evidence. From 35 cases of haemarthrosis, 27 proved to have injuries requiring therapy, 12 of which were not obvious during clinical examination. The results underline advantages of arthroscopy for childhood knee joint injuries, in allowing a definite diagnosis and varying therapeutic measures.