Arthroscopic treatment of posttraumatic chondromalacia patellae.

An arthroscopic procedure of excision of damaged cartilage and drilling the subchondral bone plate for treatment of chondromalacia patellae is described. Satisfactory results and absence of major complications are reported in a preliminary, short-term series of 24 cases of symptomatic posttraumatic chondromalacia patellae, with a mean follow up of 12 months.