Abstract
64 cases of arthroscopic surgery performed from August'90 to August'91 in our hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Operations were performed with 18 meniscectomies, 4 meniscal sutures, 2 anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions, 4 loose body enucleations, 5 joint mobilizations, 9 plicaresections, 11 arthroscopic arthroplasties, and 12 synovectomies. Of all the cases, osteoarthritic cartilage degeneration was found in 40 cases. Of the twelve synovectomies, 9 were performed for synovial proliferation in osteoarthritis, while 3 were for joint synovitis. Synovectomy was very effective treatment for joint hydrops in joint synovitis including gout, while in osteoarthritis its effectiveness on relief of pain was not so sussessful. All the performance except one improved ADL, relieved knee pain, and patients satisfied to do the arthroscopic surgery. One patient with osteoarthritis had been treated with synovectomy, had gonalgia worse. He was suffered with candidiasis of the knee joint Meniscectomy and meniscal suture demonstrated no significant difference in pain relief, improve of the ADL, and satisfaction in short term follow-up. Arthroscopic arthroplasty relieved knee pain, however, its effectiveness was minimized when tibial articular cartilage was completely eburnated. In conclusion, arthroscopic surgery is the safe, less-invasive treatment for knee patients, and therefore gives satisfactory result if careful attention for cartilage damage and contamination is paid.
