RESUMO
UNLABELLED: The purpose of this study was to associate patellofemoral pain with the findings of arthroscopic procedures. A visual analogue scale was used considering that 1 represented no pain and 10 severe pain, the functional Lysholm scale for function, and the Outerbridge classification to determine the grade of the articular cartilage lesion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study population was composed of an heterogeneous group of patients with chondral lesions. This is a retrospective, observational and longitudinal study undertaken for a period of 18 months. Sixty-nine patients had patellofemoral pain, and traumatic knee injuries were excluded. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients were found to have a chondral lesion, only one patient did not. In the latter only loose body removal was performed. The most frequent procedure was articular lavage, debridement and chondroplasty in 98.5%. Thirty-five patients were found to have knee arthrosis grade IV (50.7%); the broadest functional improvement range occurred in patients with arthrosis grades I and III. DISCUSSION: Patients with mild-to-moderate knee arthrosis grades I to III are the ones with the highest chance of success from the perspective of pain relief and functionality of arthroscopic surgery.