A study to determine the functional outcomes of arthroscopic surgical management of meniscal injuries via the Lysholm Knee Scale at the Zambian Italian Orthopedic Hospital in Lusaka

Abstract

Arthroscopy is performed to evaluate or treat many orthopaedic conditions of which meniscal injuries are a huge part (Richmond et al, 2009). It is a minimally invasive procedure which is both diagnostic and therapeutic. Meniscal tears are responsible for 750,000 arthroscopies per year in the United States and are the most common soft tissue injury to the knee joint (Rodkey & Steadman, 1999). However, in Zambia, information on arthroscopic surgery of the knee as relates to meniscal injuries has not been well documented, despite its impact on the relief of knee symptoms. This therefore necessitated this study in Zambia. All records of people aged 18 years and above who had undergone arthroscopic surgery of the knee at the Zambian Italian Orthopaedic Hospital due to meniscal injuries within period Jan 2009 to Dec 2013 were reviewed. A total of 37 cases were deemed valid for the study in the given period. The functional outcomes were graded using the Lysholm Knee Scale which is a validated measure of knee stability and is one of the most commonly used knee function scoring systems (Johnson & Smith, 2001). Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) v16 was applied in data analysis. RESULTS: The functional outcome of the knee in a total of 37 patients was such that 23 patients (62.2%) were graded as Excellent, 10 patients Good (27.0%), 4 patients Fair (10.8%) and none (0%) were graded as Poor following arthroscopic surgical management of meniscal injuries of the knee. Arthroscopic surgery of the knee is ‘day surgery’ and a short and safe procedure which gives excellent functional outcome and has minimal complications.