Arthroscopic Osteophyte Resection for Osteophyte-Induced Popliteal Impingement

Popliteal tendinitis causes lateral knee pain. A cause is impingement of the popliteal tendon by lateral femoral condylar osteophytes. Conservative and surgical treatments have been reported; however, popliteal impingement is a relatively rare disease, and no treatment has been established. Reduction of mechanical stress is important in the treatment of impingement syndromes. The popliteal tendon is an important tissue that contributes to knee stability and, therefore, usually cannot be transected. On the other hand, osteophyte resection may allow the reduction of mechanical stress. Therefore, we describe an arthroscopic osteophyte resection technique for the treatment of osteophyte-induced popliteal impingement. In brief, this technique involves confirmation of popliteal impingement, osteophyte resection using an osteotome, smoothening of the resected area, and confirmation of the resolution of popliteal impingement.