Day case arthroscopy

Abstract

This paper presents the experience of one surgeon using a new day case unit in a district general hospital in a twelve month period. Clinical data and questionnaires were obtained for 130 patients. A third of the 148 knees investigated had more than one pathological lesion, and in 18% the arthroscopic diagnosis differed from the preoperative diagnosis. Intra-articular arthroscopic surgery was carried out on 59% of knees and only 12% of operations took more than 60 minutes. The time before return to normal everyday activites, work and sport was much shorter than after arthrotomy. An early return to work is of great importance both to the patient and society. The retum to full athletic fitness varied according to the individual and the sport, but some of the patients had returned to first class sport in a very short space of time.