[The value of sonographic diagnosis of the injured knee joint in trauma-surgical practice].

In a period of two years (January 1990 to December 1991) 136 knee joints were examined by ultrasound and arthroscopy. 40 out of 42 arthroscopically proven lesions of the anterior cruciate ligament were detected by ultrasound. The sensitivity therefore was 95.24%. We found three cases of ruptures of the posterior cruciate ligament, which were not detected clinically. 16 cases of ruptured medial collateral ligaments and 27 cases of elongations of the same ligament were diagnosed. Ultrasound examination of the knee and especially of the cruciate ligaments showed to be an accurate tool in order to obtain additional information on an injured knee even if clinical examination is difficult or impossible. Sonography is able to exclude lesions of the cruciate ligaments precisely. Therefore it helps to restrict the necessity of acute or early arthroscopy of knee joints.