Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the incidence rate per 100,000 inhabitants (IR) of knee arthroscopic procedures and knee ligament reconstruction in Chile, between 2004 and 2019. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Patients who underwent a meniscal surgery and patients undergoing knee ligament reconstruction were identified in the database of the Chilean department of statistics and health information (DEIS) between 2004 and 2019. Results: The DEIS reported 149,734 patients, 169244 arthroscopic procedures with a significant upward trend in the IR, from 24.61 in 2004 to 80.6 in 2019. Related to knee ligament reconstruction, 42,026 procedures were found in 38,171 patients, with a significant upward trend in the IR, from 4.08 in 2004 to 24.62 in 2019. Conclusions: Knee arthroscopy and ligament reconstruction are in an upward trend in Chile. An evident inequity in access was found public insurance needs to improve the quality and access to both procedures. An updated, national registry is urgently needed to improve data, allowing better health policies.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.