The role of arthroscopy in children and adolescents.

A retrospective review of the first 5 years' experience with arthroscopy at the Adelaide Children's Hospital was conducted. Two hundred and twelve arthroscopies were performed in 192 patients. The average period of follow-up was 5.9 months. The most common arthroscopic finding was anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, followed by meniscal lesions, chondromalacia patellae, patellar dislocations, and osteochondritis dissecans. There was a high rate of associated lesions with ACL tears and acute patellar dislocation. Septic arthritis responded well to arthroscopic drainage and lavage. We concluded that arthroscopy is a safe and accurate diagnostic and therapeutic tool in childhood and adolescence. Arthroscopy is recommended when a joint is too painful to allow adequate clinical examination, in hemarthroses, for ACL injury, after acute patellar dislocation, and to treat septic arthritis. There is only a 56% chance of making a correct diagnosis on clinical grounds, which contrasts with an accuracy in excess of 99% with arthroscopy.