Arthroscopy in acute trauma of the knee joint

Even in massive hemarthrosis, arthroscopy of the acutely injured knee joint can be performed. The procedure is indicated in all cases where clinical findings and radiography cannot establish a clear diagnosis or a clear indication for operation. Hemarthrosis of unknown origin should be investigated in every case. An additional indication for arthroscopy is planned arthroscopic operation. In a series of 1000 arthroscopies, the examination was performed in 76 patients in the acute stage after trauma. In most knee joints several injuries were found; the most frequent being tears of the menisci, cartilage lesions, ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament and tears of the joint capsule. 24 cases were treated by arthroscopic operation: 13 partial meniscectomies were performed in acute blocking of the knee and in 8 cases a detached chondral or osteochondral fragment was removed. 29 cases required arthrotomy. Post-operative morbidity of arthroscopic operation is surprisingly low. Patients were not hospitalized for diagnostic or operative arthroscopy.