Arthroscopy of the knee in pre-adolescent children.
BACKGROUND
Arthroscopic operations performed in the pediatric age group constitute less than 5% of all arthroscopies. Diagnostic accuracy is reported to be lower than the procedures in adult patients. The incidence of pathologies also varies in the literature. We aimed at assessing the diagnostic accuracy of arthroscopy and review the incidence of pathologies in pre-adolescent patients.


METHODS
In the period April 1990-January 2002, 50 pre-adolescent patients underwent knee arthroscopy after clinical and radiological assessment. Average age was 10.24 (1-13) with a male-to-female ratio of 34:16.


RESULTS
Discoid lateral meniscus was found to be the most common pathology encountered in 17 cases followed by infection and synovitis in 8 cases each. Diagnostic accuracy of arthroscopy correlated with preoperative clinical and radiologic evaluation was 90%. Arthroscopy findings were negative in two cases. Two cases of plica syndrome and one case of chondral injury were mistaken for medial meniscal tear. Final diagnosis was familial Mediterranean fever in one case of synovitis and knee fusion was performed at follow-up due to progressive degenerative changes. No other patient required reoperation.


CONCLUSIONS
Arthroscopy is a safe procedure with minor morbidity allowing treatment of various intraarticular knee disorders. Diagnostic accuracy of the procedure may increase with careful preoperative work-up.
Sarpel
Yaman
Y
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Balcali, 01330, Adana, Turkey. ysarpel@yahoo.com
Ozkan
Cenk
C
Toğrul
Emre
E
Tan
Ismet
I
Gülşen
Mahir
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001182:Arthroscopy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome