ANKLE JOINT ARTHROSCOPY FOR MENISCOID LESIONS IN ATHLETES

The meniscoid lesion is a frequent but not well known cause of persist ent pain in the anterior part of the upper ankle in sports traumatolog y. It has been described as portions of hyalinized tissue following an inversion sprain of the ankle. Trapping of this formation between the lateral cheek of the talus and the fibula is supposed to be responsib le for pain and other symptoms reported by the patient. In 59 arthrosc opic procedures on the ankle joint in athletes, meniscoid lesions were seen in 19 cases. Only 1 of these 19 patients showed lateral and ante rior instability, and frequent clinical symptoms were swelling and tra pping. Intraoperatively, all meniscoid lesions were combined with syno vitis. Chondromalacia and osteophytes were seen several times. After a n average follow-up period of 12 months, 14 patients could be examined . Twelve of the athletes returned to full sports activity; 10 were ver y satisfied, 2 satisfied, and 2 unsatisfied. Nine patients did not com plain of any swelling, 4 did so on rare occasions, and 1 complained pe rsistently. No pain was reported 10 times, improvement of pain 3 times , and continuing persistent pain 1 time, probably because of simultane ous chondromalacia and osteophytes. These were found more frequently i n patients with a longer case history and unsuccessful conservative tr eatment, so that early arthroscopic surgery is recommended.