Role of arthroscopy in chronic knee effusion

ABSTRACT

Thirty one patients who had chronic knee effusion [C.K.E.] underwent 31 knee arthroscopic examination. Trauma was the most common cause of C.K.E. [22 patients, 71%]. Subsequent arthrotomy was done for 17 patients [54.8%] and operative arthroscopy was needed for 14 patients [45.2%]. The clinical findings and arthroscopic data were evaluated to estimate the value of arthroscopy and the degree of its diagnostic accuracy [93.5%]. Arthroscopy proved to be useful in 27 cases [87.1%]. The diagnostic arthroscopy was found to be superior to clinical diagnosis [93.5%], espically when the clinical diagnosis was not definite. Probing was very essential for accurate interpretation and diagnosis of synovial, meniscal, ligamentous and chondral lesions. The study recommends arthroscopy as an important routine step in C.K.E. to reach the final diagnosis. Arthroscopy was useful in localizing the underlying pathology and for removal of this causative pathology, or outlying the therapeutic approach for the knee pathology