BILATERAL SIMULTANEOUS KNEE ARTHROSCOPY

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyse the arthroscopic findings when both knees were symptomatic, to find the incidence of lesions of surgical significance in the secondly arthroscoped (less symptomatic) knee and to report patient satisfaction.
Methods: Twenty-two consecutive patients underwent arthroscopy of both of their knees in the same session because of bilateral symptoms. There were 11 men and 11 women whose ages ranged between 22 and 68 years (average 42 years). The right knee in 8, and the left knee in 12 were more symptomatic; the symptoms were graded as equal by two patients. Major complaints were pain (all knees), locking (n=10), giving-way (n=9), inability to squat (n=13).
Results: The primary lesions of surgical significance in the firstly arthroscoped knees were as follows: medial meniscus tear 11, lateral meniscus tear 3, hyperthrophic medial plicae 1, chronic synovitis 1, medial synovitis 1, loose body 1, and degenerative arthritis 4 knee. Eighteen of these knees had associated surgical lesions. Surgically significant lesions were seen in all of the contralateral knees except for one in which only lavage was done. The lesions of both knees were similar in 16 patients. Fourteen patients were satisfied with the bilateral procedure. The remaining 4, who were not satisfied had mild to moderate degenerative arthritis in common.
Conclusion: Bilateral surgical arthroscopy of the knee is well tolerated by the patients and has a high satisfaction rate. A surgically treatable lesion can be found also in the less symptomatic knee in most of the cases.