抄録
The usefulness of arthroscopic fat pad resection after total knee arthroplasty was evaluated. From March of 1996 to December of 1999, 207 cases underwent TKA at our hospital, and 152 cases achieved postoperative flexion angles greater than 120°. Among the 152 knees, 8 knees of 8 patients continued to suffer anterior knee pain. Arthroscopic surgery was performed in 8 knees (8 patients) with anterior knee pain associated with high flexion angles (average = 131.9±9.9) . Preoperatively, it was confirmed that the symptom was significantly decreased by local anesthetic injection into the infrapatellar fat pad. Arthroscopically, impingement and fibrosis of the fat pad were confirmed and fibrous structures were removed. Postoperatively, the anterior knee pain disappeared and all knees are symptom-free after a mean follow-up of 3 years. Complications such as patella baja and patellar necrosis have not been observed. These results have demonstrated the usefulness of arthroscopic fat pad resection in patients with anterior knee pain due to chronic fat pad impingement associated with deep knee flexion.
