Abstract des Autors

The application of Holmium:Yag laser for arthroscopic surgery of the knee is a recent introduction. Many authors have outlined the advantages as: precision, safety, no significant complications involving the patient, surgeon or other personel. The study of 1997 makes a comparison of the Holmium:Yag laser with other mechanical tools in the care of meniscopathy. A review of the first, one day surgery, 21 partial meniscectomy cases are presented. The ages of the patients were from 21 to 32 years of age. With regard to medial or lateral there were 15 injuries involving the medial meniscus and 6 involving the lateral meniscus, no bilateral injuries. There was a predominance of longitudinal and posterior horn lesion. In this study the bucket-handle they are not considered. The follow-up average period was 4 months, the use of the laser reduced surgical time and decreased postoperative pain. There were no intraoperative complications that involved the surgeon or the patient as a result of the laser technique, no infection, and no thrombophlebitis. We observed a general satisfaction of the patient. The rehabilitation started from the first day after surgery, the athletes returned to sports competition within 15 to 30 days of the operation. The laser technique is a recent tool which represents a distinct improvement; we observed advantages in the care of degenerative meniscus where exists multiple cleavage planes, in the narrow knees and where the conventional mechanical tools hardly manage the pathological tissue. The laser is most efficient for excision, ablation and conturing tissue. The best results are obtained in the longitudinal and oblique meniscal lesion. Verf.-Referat