title: Arthroscopy in acute trauma of the knee joint.
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D006395:Hemarthrosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000293:injuries; D012421:Rupture