Diagnostic and operative arthroscopy of the knee under local anesthesia with parenteral medication

Arthroscopy of the knee under local anesthesia was performed on 102 patients for operative and diagnostic purposes between January and December of 1985. The procedures were performed on a same day basis without a pneumatic tourniquet. The operative record of each patient was reviewed to determine postoperative diagnosis and treatment. The data was matched to a patient questionnaire that measured individual reaction to local anesthesia. The effectiveness and level of patient acceptance of this anesthetic technique for operative arthroscopy was then evaluated. Ninety-one patients responded to the questionnaire, 82 of whom had prior anesthetic experience. Ninety-five percent of the patients had minimal or no discomfort during the procedure. Eighty percent indicated a preference for local anesthesia in the event of subsequent arthroscopy. No complications relating to the anesthetic agent were noted. Arthroscopy of the knee under local anesthesia for routine operative arthroscopy was found to be safe, reliable, practical, and to have a high patient acceptance rate.