Knee Arthroscopy Explained: A Less Invasive Option for Joint Pain
Knee pain can strongly affect your daily life, preventing you from walking, going up the stairs or moving around. Fortunately, today, medicine has sophisticated techniques to diagnose and treat joint issues with limited effect on your body. One such option is knee arthroscopy – a minimally invasive operation that enables specialists to investigate, diagnose and fix knee problems with accuracy.
Due to the procedure’s differences from typical open surgery, patients have less discomfort, a quicker recovery time, and fewer scars.
If you’ve been dealing with chronic knee pain, learning how arthroscopy can help might be the first step back to mobility and freedom from pain.
What is Knee Arthroscopy?
Knee arthroscopy is a surgical procedure that uses a tiny fibre-optic camera (arthroscope) to look at, or treat, inside the knee joint. The surgeon creates two or three small cuts around the knee (they’re usually the size of a keyhole), leading the arthroscope and special pencil-thin instruments in.
The camera sends live, high-definition images of the inside of the knee to a monitor, where the surgeon can view damage directly. Depending on their findings, they can then carry out any needed repairs — cutting torn cartilage, reconstructing ligaments or removing inflamed tissue — through these small openings.
When is Knee Arthroscopy Indicated?
Knee arthroscopy is frequently performed to diagnose and treat various joint problems, such as:
- Torn meniscus — A common type of injury in which the shock-absorbing cartilage in the knee is damaged.
- Degenerative articular cartilage – Cartilage is worn out or deteriorated, resulting in loss of freedom of movement on articular surfaces.
- ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tears – Common among athletes, needing reconstruction.
- Synovitis – Swelling of the lining of the joint, which may require removal.
- Small bone chips or cartilage floating in the knee, which can lock or click.
If other treatments such as physiotherapy, medication or injections have not helped, your specialist may suggest arthroscopy as a way to diagnose and treat the problem at the same time in a single operation.
Benefits of Knee Arthroscopy
Arthroscopy, as opposed to traditional open surgery, has several advantages:
- Less invasive – Dissecting with smaller incisions is less traumatic and results in less post-operative pain.
- Faster recovery – Several patients go home the same day and are back to light activities in weeks.
- Less risk of infection – Smaller incisions mean fewer problems.
- Precise diagnosis & treatment – The powerful mini camera provides clear images of your pipes and allows our team to make accurate repairs.
Knee arthroscopy is commonly the favoured option for active people or for anyone who wants to reduce the duration of their hospital stay.
The Procedure: What to Expect
Your specialist will speak to you before your operation about the different forms of anaesthesia, which generally include local, spinal or general anaesthetics, depending on complexity. Once you’re numb, the surgeon will:
- Pierce small slits all around the knee.
- Introduce the arthroscope to visualise the joint.
- Restore it using the special tools which I have.
- Stitch or steri-strip the incisions.
The treatment time will be approximately 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the treatment.
Recovery and Aftercare
Recovery depends on the scope of the surgery, but in general, patients can anticipate:
- First 48 hours: To reduce swelling, rest, ice, and elevation are recommended.
- First week: Use crutches if necessary; start gentle exercises to move.
- 2–6 weeks: Incremental resumption of activities, based on physiotherapy.
- 6+ weeks: Full recovery, including sports, depending on how the healing has come along.
Risks and Considerations
Although arthroscopic knee surgery is relatively safe, it has certain risks, including:
- Infection
- Bleeding or blood clots
- Knee stiffness or swelling
These incidents are extremely uncommon, and before surgery, your surgeon will go over all safety measures with you.
Conclusion: Is Knee Arthroscopy the Best Option for You?
If knee pain is holding you back from living your life, knee arthroscopy may be the answer to your problems. At Chase Lodge Hospital, our staff is dedicated to providing you with individualised treatment to speed up your recuperation.
Speak with our specialists today to learn more about this procedure.
