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Arthroscopy of the knee in children and adolescents
Author(s) -
Bak K.,
Wilbek H.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0838.1992.tb00327.x
Subject(s) - medicine , arthroscopy , anterior cruciate ligament , tears , physical therapy , medical diagnosis , ligament , retrospective cohort study , surgery , pediatrics , radiology
A retrospective review was done of 69 children and adolescents (7‐17 years old) who underwent 75 arthroscopies of the knee during a 5‐year period. Girls were overrepresented (71%). Thirty‐eight were children under the age of 16. Of 46 injuries, 34 (74%) happened during sports. Children and adolescents were divided into two age groups based on their presumed state of skeletal maturity (boys 9–15 and girls 7–14 in group I and boys 16–17 and girls 15–17 in group II); meniscal lesions were equally common in the two groups, whereas anterior cruciate ligament tears were more common in older children (NS). Eleven of 17 (65%) anterior cruciate ligament lesions were combined with other intra‐articular pathology, most often meniscal tears (9/11). As in other studies, half of the prearthroscopic diagnoses were incorrect. A high frequency of incorrect prearthroscopic diagnoses and of combined lesions justifies arthroscopy as an important diagnostic tool in children and adolescents with a history of twisting knee injury or chronic nonspecific knee problems. Girls practising ball games seem to be especially prone to knee injuries leading to arthroscopy.