What Is Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Surgical Options For Torn Meniscus

Meniscus tears can be treated by meniscus removal , meniscus repair, or in unusual circumstances, meniscus replacement. Since the goal of surgery is to preserve healthy meniscus, meniscus repair is attempted when the tear is repairable.

Meniscectomy, removal of the damaged meniscus tissue, has good short term results but leads to the development of arthritis ten to twenty years later.

Meniscus repair also has good results, but has a longer recovery time than meniscectomy and is limited to tears which are amenable to repair.

Meniscus replacement is considered for young, active patients who have previously had most of their meniscus removed, and develop pain in the area without having advanced degenerative changes to the articular cartilage. Please see meniscus replacement for additional information.

Arthroscopic Knee Surgery: What You Need To Know

We offer many different knee surgery procedures at Rebound and use innovative techniques and the latest technology to perform them. Arthroscopic knee surgery is just one of the advanced procedures we offer to treat knee injuries and conditions.

Dr. Evan D. Ellis, one of our board-certified orthopedic surgeons with expertise in arthroscopic knee surgery, explains everything you need to know about the procedure below.

What is Arthroscopic Knee Surgery?

Arthroscopic knee surgery is a common, minimally invasive procedure performed by orthopedic surgeons to diagnose and treat a variety of knee injuries and conditions.

This procedure allows us insert a very small camera through an incision to get an inside view of the knee joint, says Dr. Ellis. With the help of the high resolution cameras we use at Rebound, were able to determine where and what the problem is and treat it in a fairly short time frame.

What is Arthroscopic Knee Surgery Commonly Used to Treat?

Rebound knee specialists may recommend arthroscopic knee surgery for reconstructive or reparative purposes. Some of the most common uses for this form of knee surgery include:

• Fragmented bone or cartilage removal
• Inflamed or damaged synovial tissue removal
• Kneecap alignment

What Happens During the Procedure?

Here is a quick look at the arthroscopic process:

What Are the Benefits of Arthroscopic Knee Surgery?

What is the Recovery Process for Arthroscopic Knee Surgery?

What Happens On The Day Of Your Operation

On the day of your operation you will be admitted to the hospital day-surgery unit. Your surgeon will visit you before the operation and mark the affected knee with an ink marker. Your anaesthetist will also visit you before the operation. You will be given a surgical gown to change into, and you will then be transferred to the operating room.

After you have received your general anaesthetic, a tight band will be placed around your upper thigh to prevent bleeding during the operation. Sterile drapes are placed around the operated leg once it has been painted with disinfectant.

Usually 2 small incisions are made for this operation. The arthroscope is introduced into the knee joint through one incision. The surgical instruments needed for the operation are inserted through the other incision. Photographs are taken during the operation and your surgeon will discuss these with you at your post-operative visit.

Once your operation is completed your knee will be injected with local anaesthetic to reduce the pain you experience immediately after the operation. Sutures or surgical tape will be used to close the incisions. Your knee will then be wrapped with sterile bandages.

You will wake up in the recovery ward where you will be closely monitored until you are ready to return to the day surgery unit. Here you will continue to be observed until you are fully awake.

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Recovering From An Arthroscopy

How long it takes to recover from an arthroscopy depends on the joint involved and the specific procedure you had.

It may be possible to return to work within 7 days if your job involves sitting at a desk, but if it’s more physical, you may need to stay off work for up to 2 weeks.

You may not be able to do more demanding physical activities, such as lifting and sport, for several months.

Your surgeon or care team will let you know how long it’s likely to take to recover and what activities to avoid until you’ve fully recovered.

While recovering, contact your GP or surgical team for advice if you think you may have a complication, such as an infection or blood clot.

Read more about recovering from an arthroscopy.

Basic Information About This Procedure:

You are scheduled for an arthroscopic surgery to remove torn meniscus and/or cartilage tissues from your knee. For this surgery, most people “go to sleep completely” during surgery with a general anesthetic. Surgery with a spinal anesthetic is also an option. Three small incisions are made to allow special instruments, including a fiber-optic camera, to be placed into your knee. Sterile saline is brought into the knee joint continuously with tubing to provide a clear view for the surgeon. Torn parts of the meniscus and/or damaged cartilage on the bone surfaces are carefully removed with special arthroscopic instruments. The end result is a knee lined with smooth and stable tissues rather than rough, torn, and unstable edges. The actual surgery time is usually about 30 minutes, but if extensive work is needed, the procedure may last slightly longer. At the end of the surgery, local anesthesia medication is injected into the knee and reduces pain for about 10 to 12 hours after surgery. This explains why patients often note that their pain is not severe at first, then worse the day after surgery.

In most cases, the small incisions are closed with Steri-strips only and no skin stitches are used. Steri-strips are somewhat waterproof, lasting seven to ten days, and then they begin to peel back at the edges. If nylon stitches are used at the skin level, they will need to be removed at roughly 7 to 14 days after surgery. This will be done at your first post-operative visit.

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About Arthroscopic Meniscus Repair

Urgency

Surgery for a meniscus tear is not an emergency. Arthroscopic meniscus repair is an elective procedure that can be scheduled to minimize disruption of patients lives. Results are maximized by repairing meniscus tears within the first two months of injury.

Risks

All surgery has risks. There is likely nothing you could imagine could go wrong that has not gone wrong at some time. That being said, meniscus repair is a safe procedure with a complication rate of 1.3%. The most common complications are injuries to skin nerves, the vast majority of which resolve without additional procedures by three months post surgery. Injury to larger nerves or blood vessels is rare, as are blood clots. Knee stiffness, infections, and other problems are uncommon, but can occur. An experienced surgical team uses special techniques to minimize these risks, but unfortunately they cannot be completely eliminated.

Managing risk

Preparation

Timing

Meniscus repair is optimally performed within the first two months after meniscus tear to maximize meniscus healing. Walking on a knee that is locked may damage the meniscus further and make a tear unrepairable. Squatting should be avoided prior to surgery, as that may displace a piece of meniscus into the joint and cause locking.

Costs

The surgeons office should provide a reasonable estimate of the surgeons fees, the hospital fee, the anesthesia fee, and the degree to which these should be covered by the patients insurance.

Surgical team

Conditions Most Frequently Found With Arthroscopy

The following are the conditions most frequently discovered during an arthroscopic procedure:

• Inflammation. This includes in the lining of the knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist, or ankle
• Injuries. These include the following:
• Rotator cuff tendon tears, impingement syndrome, and recurrent dislocations in the shoulder
• Meniscal tears, chondromalacia , and ACL tears with instability in the knee

Always see your healthcare provider for a treatment recommendation based on your individual condition.

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Entrust Dr Soffer With Your Knee Care

Dr. Stephen R. Soffer is a highly skilled orthopedic doctor who specializes in performing arthroscopic surgery. Dr. Soffer may be able to help you resolve your knee pain using cutting-edge treatment methods. Call our office at 610-375-4949 and schedule an appointment. We look forward to offering you superior care.

Is Knee Arthroscopy Major Surgery

It is a less invasive method of surgery used to both diagnose and treat issues in the joints. The arthroscope has a camera attached, and this allows doctors to inspect the joint for damage. The procedure requires very small cuts in the skin, which gives arthroscopy some advantages over more invasive surgeries.

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Whats The Purpose Of Getting Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Injuries, overuse, and certain medical conditions can cause knee pain. Since we use our knees for everything we do on our feet, dealing with knee pain can be a big problem. While these can be treated through non-surgical procedures, some cases warrant surgery.

An arthroscopy is an excellent option for those who want a minimally invasive procedure. So, what is arthroscopic knee surgery, and why is it performed?

Heres everything you need to know:

Recovery After Knee Arthroscopy Recovery

Knee arthroscopy is not a very invasive procedure. For most patients, the surgery is completed in less than an hour, but the surgical time for knee arthroscopy depends on the type of knee arthroscopy performed. Typically, patients are discharged the same day after knee arthroscopy.

You will be advised to use an ice pack on your knee to manage inflammation and minimize pain and swelling. At home, keep your operated leg elevated as much as possible and use ice packs regularly for a couple of days. Make sure to change your dressing as directed by your surgeon and visit your knee arthroscopy surgeon for a follow-up appointment, which will be several days after the surgery.

Your orthopedic surgeon may also suggest you an exercise regimen to do at home that will help with the recovery. For patients who had an ACL reconstruction, PCL or meniscus surgery, a physiotherapy program might be recommended. Physiotherapy after knee surgery can help regain normal knee function and full range of motion. These exercises will also help to strengthen your knee joint and muscles so that you can return to your routine and sports as soon as possible. With the proper care, knee arthroscopy surgery has remarkable outcomes and is usually very successful.

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Reasons For Needing Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Candidates for arthroscopic surgery range from someone who has gradually worsening pain with knee crepitus or knee grinding to someone with ligament or cartilage damage needing to be repaired or removed.

Common complaints from patients are my knee hurts when I bend it and straighten it or I have a sharp pain in my knee.

For the purposes of this article, we will discuss the recovery process of common and less involved surgeries of arthroscopic debridement and partial meniscectomy knee surgeries, sometimes referred to as knee scopes.

The goal of this article is to talk about the recovery of a routine debridement or meniscectomy, however its worth taking a second to explain why they differ from more involved procedures.

What Does The Operation Involve

Various anaesthetic techniques are possible. The operation usually takes 30 to 45 minutes.

Your surgeon will examine your knee ligaments while you are under the anaesthetic and your muscles are completely relaxed. They will insert a small camera through one or more small cuts around your knee.

Your surgeon will examine the inside of your knee for damage to the cartilages, joint surfaces and ligaments. It is usually possible for your surgeon to trim or repair a torn cartilage without needing to make a larger cut.

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Keep Hip Butt Leg And Core Muscles Strong

When you have strong muscles overall, it protects all your joints, even your knees. When your core muscles are strong, it helps with healthy skeletal alignment and good posture, both of which you need for distributing pressure on joints equally and prevents your knees from sustaining excessive pressure. Strong leg, butt, hip and core muscles are particularly good for keeping pressure off your knees.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

The anterior cruciate ligament is often injured during sports activities. Athletes who participate in high demand sports like soccer, football, and basketball are more likely to injure their anterior cruciate ligaments. Changing direction rapidly or landing from a jump incorrectly can tear the ACL. About half of all injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament occur along with damage to other structures in the knee, such as articular cartilage, meniscus, or other ligaments.

Learn more about ACL injuries:

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When Is Knee Arthroscopy Recommended

Knee arthroscopy can be used to diagnose and treat numerous knee conditions. Some reasons for undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery include:

• Meniscus repair or removal if the meniscus is torn
• Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament after a tear
• Correction of patellar misalignment
• Reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament after a tear
• Removal damaged cartilage from the knee joint
• Repair or grafting of small cartilage defects
• Assessment and repair of various sports injuries
• Treatment of mild arthritis
• Removal of bone fragments or other loose bodies
• Removal of the synovium in cases where it is diseased

In some cases, conservative treatments and traditional knee surgery may still be the preferred treatment options. However, when knee arthroscopy is an appropriate treatment choice, it can offer numerous benefits.

What To Expect From Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

One of the most experienced joint replacement specialists in Central Florida, Mark Hollmann, MD performs hundreds of arthroscopic procedures each year with minimal post-operative pain. Arthroscopic knee surgery or knee scope is a minimally invasive medical procedure on the knee joint used to diagnose and treat knee conditions or injuries. Although knee arthroscopy is often needed in our athletic population it can also be useful in older patients in certain cases. Continue reading to learn more about what to expect from arthroscopic knee surgery.

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Is It Worth Having A Knee Arthroscopy

Though some surgeons may believe they can predict which patients will do well from surgery, this belief has not been validated. Despite the desire for this procedure to work, arthroscopy for degenerative knee conditions puts patients at risk of harm, including death, for no important benefits.

Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

The posterior cruciate ligament is often injured from a blow to the front of the knee while the knee is bent. This often occurs in motor vehicle crashes and sports-related contact. Posterior cruciate ligament tears tend to be partial tears with the potential to heal on their own.

Learn more about PCL injuries:

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Do I Need Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

If youre experiencing knee pain that isnt improving with time, loss of motion, swelling or redness in the knee, Joseph Thomas MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the TriHealth Orthopedic and Spine Institute, says to make an appointment with your doctor.

From there, your surgeon may recommend arthroscopic knee surgery.

When Is This Operation Helpful

There are two main reasons to have a knee arthroscopy:

• To repair or remove damaged structures in the knee. This may include removing torn pieces of cartilage or meniscus , removing loose pieces of cartilage or bone, repairing a torn meniscus or damaged cartilage or cleaning out infection within the knee joint
• To confirm the clinical diagnosis and to assess the quality of the remaining structures inside the knee joint. This is not a common reason to undergo knee arthroscopy surgery

Knee arthroscopy may be of benefit if you have symptoms such as catching, locking, swelling or persistent pain to a localized area of the knee. Knee ligament reconstruction can also be performed using arthroscopic techniques and is described separately.

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City Wise Cost Of Arthroscopic Acl Reconstruction

Here is a list of Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction costs in some metro cities of India.

The table includes the cost for arthroscopic surgery for acl repair and arthroscopic surgery for acl and meniscus repair.

Please note that the above-mentioned arthroscopic knee surgery cost is only for reference and is not a standard cost. With various factors in play, the cost of an arthroscopic knee surgery can vary.

Arthroscopic Knee Surgery: Preparing For Recovery

Arthroscopic knee surgery is one of the most versatile orthopedic procedures. Done with small instruments and featuring quicker recovery times, this innovative operation helps people regain mobility, flexibility, and pain-free, independent movement. How should you prepare for recovery from your arthroscopic knee surgery? Learn the details here.

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Reasons For Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Arthroscopic knee surgery may be a treatment option for certain types of knee pain. Arthroscopic surgery is a procedure that involves inserting a small camera inside the joint. Through other small incisions, instruments can be inserted to repair or remove damaged structures. Arthroscopic knee surgery is often called “scoping the knee” or knee arthroscopy.

Many different surgical procedures that are commonly performed arthroscopically were once performed through the larger incisions. The advantage of arthroscopy he is being able to perform those surgical procedures without damaging normal structures around the joint. By being less invasive, the hope is there will be less pain and a faster recovery.

However, arthroscopic surgery is still a major surgical procedure, involves risks, and requires appropriate postoperative rehabilitation. It is important that you understand the nature of any surgical procedure being considered, the risks involved, and the postoperative recovery that will be necessary to achieve a successful result.