Ultrasound guided arthroscopic meniscus surgery.

Ultrasound is a useful adjunctive intra-operative imaging modality for soft tissue pathologies. It is readily available in the operating theater and has the distinct advantage of being more portable than an MRI, with no harmful radiation. It is especially useful for determining if any extra articular cysts have been decompressed through arthroscopic surgery, if a parameniscal cyst has been removed completely or if extrusion has been reduced adequately in a meniscus root repair. In our series, intra-operative ultrasound was used for two cases of medial meniscus horizontal tear with meniscus cyst excision, one case of lateral parameniscal cyst without a communicating tear, and five cases of meniscus root repairs. Ultrasound has the potential to be an important intra-operative diagnostic modality not only in diagnosing pathologies but also accurately localizing the soft tissue pathology, which is critical in arthroscopic surgery where the incisions are small. It also has the added advantage of guiding portal placements, especially in areas where there are neurovascular structures, to avoid injuring them. However, training in its effective use by the surgeon is important.