Technical and Instrumental Requirements for Arthroscopy of the Knee Joint

Summary

The use of the endoscope for the inspection of the interior of the knee joint makes high demands on OR hygiene, which is a general prerequisite for the examination. Knee joint arthroscopy can be carried out either under general or local anaesthesia; the advantages and disadvantages of the two procedure are compared.

Various optical systems are in common use, the best quality images both for the examination itself and for photographic documentation, are obtained when the interior of the joint, distended by a gaseous medium, is inspected using a lens-type optical system.

Key words:

Arthroscopy - Instruments - Knee joint - Rod-lens system