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Arthroscopic Loose Body Removal

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Knee Arthroscopy and Knee Preservation Surgery

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Abstract

Loose bodies are osseous or chondral fragments freely floating in the intra-articular cavity of the knee. Loose bodies can result from more insidious cartilage pathologies or acute joint injuries, such as an anterior cruciate ligament tear or patellar dislocation. Because loose bodies are freely floating in the intra-articular cavity and can get lodged in spaces inside the joint, they can cause substantial pain and mechanical symptoms. Physical examination findings will correlate with the inciting injury, if there is one. Other times, if the loose body is large enough, it may be palpated in the medial or lateral gutter. Since the physical examination may be normal, imaging is key for confirming the presence of a loose body. Magnetic resonance imaging is the gold standard for identifying loose bodies. Arthroscopy is the treatment of choice for removing loose bodies. Following arthroscopy, patients often report satisfaction with the procedure and a decrease in symptoms, and the majority return to unrestricted activity. While arthroscopy is an excellent treatment option for loose bodies, it is imperative that patients’ chronic joint conditions be monitored and treatment optimized in order to prevent additional loose bodies from forming in the future.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Kentucky Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA

    Breanna Sullivan, Holly Stilz, Jeffrey Bannister & Austin V. Stone

Authors
  1. Breanna Sullivan
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  2. Holly Stilz
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  3. Jeffrey Bannister
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  4. Austin V. Stone
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Austin V. Stone .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sports Medicine Clinic, Stanford University, Redwood City, CA, USA

    Seth L. Sherman

  2. Midwest Orthopedics, Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Jorge Chahla

  3. Department of Orthopedics, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA

    Scott A. Rodeo

  4. Complex Knee and Sports Medicine Surgeon, Twin Cities Spine Center, Edina, MN, USA

    Robert LaPrade

Section Editor information

  1. University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA

    Rachel M. Frank

  2. University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA

    Clayton W. Nuelle

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© 2024 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

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Sullivan, B., Stilz, H., Bannister, J., Stone, A.V. (2024). Arthroscopic Loose Body Removal. In: Sherman, S.L., Chahla, J., Rodeo, S.A., LaPrade, R. (eds) Knee Arthroscopy and Knee Preservation Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82869-1_15-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82869-1_15-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-82869-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-82869-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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