Swedish arthroscopic system.

Three anterior joint line portals, coupled with proficient use of angled arthroscopes, yield access to the entire knee joint and a complete arthroscopic examination. The arthroscope is inserted in the joint midline, through the patellar tendon, allowing passage through the intercondylar notch and direct visual access to the posterior compartments. This arthroscope location, along with instrument portals to both sides of the central scope location, allows bimanual anterior surgery and several options for operation in the posterior compartments. Some surgical maneuvers are best accomplished by the Swedish method. Arthroscope insertion in the midline through the patellar tendon has been performed thousands of times and is a safe, comprehensive approach to arthroscopy, both for diagnosis and for percutaneous surgery. It can be a primary method (as it is for me), or it can be used to solve specific problems after complete diagnosis is established.