The aim: to examine the prevalence of knee injuries during the last 20 years, to determine the age and sex related peculiarities, to compare our data with the similar studies from the other countries.
Methods. In total 2004 arthroscopic knee operations were performed at Vil i nius University hospital by one of the authors V. Tutkus from the 1990 till 2010, and were analyzed and evaluated retrospectively. Data were analyzed using the standard statistical programs Microsoft Excel and SPSS 10.0.
Results. Mean age of all patients was 32.8 years, while male’s age was 31.9 years and female’s mean age - 34.8 years. Knee pathology was detected in 66.9% of men and 33.1% of women. Men at the age group beiween 20 and 40 years composed two thirds of all operated men with the knee pathology, while women at this age group presented less than 50% of operated woman. Right knee injury was more common in men and presented 54.3% of all male cases, while in women injury of the right knee composed 50.5%. Meniscus inj ury was observed in 67.4% of all cases, and in man presented 72.9%, while in women - 56.3%. Patellofemoral problems prevailed in women (30.1%) in comparison with men (8.4%). Medial meniscus injury was ob j served in 67.8% of meniscus inj ury, latj eral meniscus - in 21.8%, both meniscus injury was observed in 10.4% of meniscus injury cases. Two thirds of both meniscus tears were found in unstable knee. Within the medial meniscus tear group the longitudinal type was found in 53.0%, while flap tears - in 27%. Within the lateral meniscus tear group the longitudinal type presented 45.1%, and flap tears - 21.3%. Radial tears in lateral meniscus were observed in 12.9%, while in medial meniscus - 3.3%. Discoid shape lateral meniscus was found in 1.8% of all patients. The specific for lateral meniscus tear pattern - the extended hiatus popliteus was found in 5.6% of all lateral meniscus tears. Meniscus tear pattern and age relation was found in medial meniscus: mean age of patients with radial tears in medial meniscus was 50.2 years, while in lateral meniscus group - 32.7 years. Women were older than man in all tear pattern groups of lateral meniscus.
Conclusions. Knee injuries and meniscal lesions are twice common in Lithuanian men than women. Meniscal injuries were detected in two thirds of patients with arthroscopic knee operations. Lesions of medial meniscus were twice common than lateral one.
