Article

The incidence of knee arthritis is increasing in our society and presents many dilemmas to the patient and doctor. Recent advances in arthroscopic treatment of arthritis have lead to the development of radiofrequency energy as an adjunctive tool for many arthroscopic procedures [1,2]. Of great concern is the recent use of radiofrequency energy to treat articular cartilage lesions in the knee. Published reports have documented the problems associated with the use of thermal energy on articular cartilage, especially lasers [3-5]. Reviewing publications concerning in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the use of radiofrequency devices on articular cartilage creates confusion for the orthopedic surgeon. Close scrutiny of study design creates a strong concern for the indiscriminate use of radiofrequency energy in treating articular cartilage lesions in the knee. The testing parameters needed to evaluate radiofrequency energy are diverse and need to be specifically controlled. The popularity of thermal chondroplasty is a challenge to the orthopedic surgeon.

Langue : ANGLAIS