One hundred thirteen consecutive athletes, who had sustained significant acute trauma to the knee with immediate disability and the early onset of hemarthrosis but who did not have demonstrable clinical laxity, were examined under anesthesia and had arthroscopy within 3 weeks of injury (the majority within 10 days). Lesions of surgical significance were found in 102 of the 113 cases (90%). Anterior cruciate ligament tears were present in 81 (72%), of which two-thirds also had associ ated meniscus lesions. Major meniscus tears with no associated cruciate lesions were found in 17 cases (15%), osteochondral fractures in 7 cases (6%), posterior cruciate ligament tears in 3 cases (3%), and no internal derangement in 5 cases (4%). Acute knee injuries with hemarthrosis, rather than being a contraindication to arthroscopy, are in fact one of the best indications for use of this procedure.
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