Knee arthroscopy
Arthroscopy (ahr-THROS-kuh-pee) is a procedure for diagnosing and treating joint problems. A surgeon inserts a narrow tube attached to a fiber-optic video camera through a small incision — about the size of a buttonhole. The view inside your joint is transmitted to a high-definition video monitor.
Arthroscopy allows the surgeon to see inside your joint without making a large incision. Surgeons can even repair some types of joint damage during arthroscopy, with pencil-thin surgical instruments inserted through additional small incisions.
An arthroscopy is a form of keyhole surgery. The surgeon inserts a fine telescope into the joint through a small incision. Arthroscopy allows Barik’s Ortho Clinic to closely examine the knee joint and treat damage and degeneration.
The specialist surgeons can also perform surgical procedures through the arthroscope. They can reconstruct torn ligaments, remove any loose fragments of cartilage or bone, and repair or trim ripped or uneven meniscal cartilage. An arthroscopy offers many benefits over open knee operations, including smaller scars, quicker recovery, and fewer complications.
An arthroscopy is an effective, minimally-invasive way of investigating and treating knee pain and other problems, including:
- Sporting injuries
- Persistent knee pain, swelling or stiffness
- Assessing joint damage in arthritis
- Repairing and trimming areas of cartilage damage and degeneration
- Treating ruptured ligaments including ACL reconstruction and repair
- Removing loose fragments of bone and cartilage
- Draining excess fluid
The consultant orthopaedic surgeons at Barik’s can provide expert assessment, thorough investigation, and treatment to restore your movement, function, and quality if your knee is affecting your mobility or your ability to live a full and active life.
The specialists can often diagnose knee problems using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. MRI provides a detailed image of the bone, the meniscus cartilage, and the ligaments in the knee joint. However, an arthroscopy may be essential to treat any underlying damage.
Many knee problems can be improved without surgery. Losing any excess weight, specialist physiotherapy programmes, steroid injections, knee braces, and regular anti-inflammatory medication can help ease symptoms and help you get on with normal activities.
Your Knee Arthroscopy Consultation At Dr. Barik’s Orthocare Clinic
Our experienced surgeons will assess and advise you in Dr. Barik’s Orthocare Clinic comfortable and well-equipped consulting rooms. They will take a detailed medical history, examine your knee, and ask about the impact your symptoms have on your wellbeing and lifestyle.
Your consultant may arrange tests and investigations in the cutting-edge imaging suite. These may include:
Blood tests to exclude underlying conditions
MRI to get detailed information about the bones and soft tissues in your knee
In consultation with you, they will then plan your admission for an arthroscopy and advise you about any preparation needed. They will take the time to answer all your questions and address any concerns.
Knee Arthroscopies at Dr. Barik’s Orthocare Clinic
The surgeons at Dr. Barik’s Orthocare Clinic perform knee arthroscopies under general anaesthetic. It is usually a day case procedure, so you won’t need to stay in hospital overnight.
The orthopaedic consultant will make one or more small cuts in the skin over your knee. They will insert a narrow telescope attached to a digital camera into the joint. The camera sends high-quality images to a monitor. Your surgeon can examine the bone, cartilage, and ligaments in your knee and check for damage and abnormalities.
The surgeon can also insert fine surgical tools into the joint and repair tears of the meniscal cartilages, cut away damaged tissue, and remove fragments of cartilage or bone that are loose in the joint. They can also repair or reconstruct torn and ruptured ligaments, including the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Finally, the surgeon will close the incisions using fine sutures and apply dressings to cover and protect the wounds.
Preparing for knee arthroscopy
Before your knee arthroscopy, you’ll meet the surgeon to discuss your operation. This may be different from what’s described here because your operation will be designed to meet your individual needs. Your surgeon will explain how you can prepare for your operation in advance.
If you smoke, you’ll be asked to stop. Smoking makes you more likely to get an infection after surgery, which can slow down your recovery. It can also make your surgery less likely to work and more likely to lead to complications. Knee arthroscopy is usually done under a general anaesthetic, but you may be able to have it under local anaesthetic. A local anaesthetic numbs your knee and you’ll stay awake during surgery. If you have a general anaesthetic, you’ll be asleep during the procedure. A general anaesthetic can make you sick, so it’s important not to eat or drink anything for a specific amount of time before your arthroscopy. Your healthcare team will give you clear instructions about this.
You may be asked to wear a compression stocking on your other (unaffected) leg. This will help to prevent blood clots forming in the veins in your leg, which can cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT). You may need to have an injection of an anti-clotting medicine (or tablets) as well.
You’ll usually be able to have knee arthroscopy and go home from hospital on the same day. But if you’ve had a regional anaesthetic (a local anaesthetic that numbs a wider area of your leg), you may need to stay overnight. You’ll be able to leave the hospital once you can walk well enough again.
Your surgeon will discuss with you what will happen before, during and after your surgery. If you’re unsure about anything, don’t be afraid to ask. No question is too small. It’s important that you feel fully informed, so you feel happy to give your consent for the operation to go ahead. You may be asked to do this by signing a consent form.
What happens during knee arthroscopy?
Knee arthroscopy usually takes less than an hour. But this depends on how much work your surgeon needs to do inside your knee joint.
You’ll be lying down on a table with your knee in a position so your surgeon can see it clearly. Your surgeon will wait for the anaesthetic to start working. Then they’ll make two or three small cuts (incisions) in the skin around your knee.
They’ll put sterile fluid into your knee joint to rinse it out. This will help them to see the inside of your knee more clearly. They’ll then put in the arthroscope (thin metal tube containing a camera) and examine your knee joint by looking at images on a TV monitor.
Your surgeon will move the arthroscope around your entire knee, so they don’t miss anything they need to look at. They may take some photographs. Once they’ve diagnosed the problem, most conditions will be treated at that time.
They may use other surgical tools to repair or remove any damaged tissue, such as cartilage.
Once they’ve finished looking inside your knee, your surgeon will drain the fluid out. Then they’ll close the cuts with stitches or sticky strips and wrap a dressing around your knee. They may also inject local anaesthetic into your knee (around the cuts) when they are finished for pain relief.
What to expect afterwards
You’ll need to rest until the effects of the anaesthetic have worn off. It may take several hours before the feeling comes back into your knee. Take care not to bump or knock it.
You may notice some discomfort as the anaesthetic wears off and also some swelling. This is a normal response to surgery. You’ll be offered pain relief as you need it.
You’ll usually be able to go home when you feel ready. Make sure someone can take you home. Ask someone to stay with you for a day or so while the anaesthetic wears off.
You may not be able to put weight on your leg for up to a week after your surgery, so you may need some help to stand or walk. Your hospital may give you crutches or a walking frame to take home. Your surgeon or nurse will give you advice on how to use these, and for how long.
A physiotherapist may give you some exercises to do. These will help you to move your knee and stop it getting stiff. Keep doing these exercises when you get home, as they’ll help you recover more quickly.
Your nurse will give you some advice about caring for your healing wounds before you go home. You’ll usually have two to four cuts around your kneecap. These will be covered with a waterproof dressing. Your wounds will be closed with stitches or skin glue. How long it takes for dissolvable stitches to disappear depends on which type you have. If you have non-dissolvable stitches, these are usually removed by the practice nurse at your GP surgery a week or two after your surgery.
You may be asked to wear a compression stocking while you recover. This will improve blood flow in your leg and reduce your chances of getting a blood clot (deep vein thrombosis, DVT).
You may be given a date for a follow-up appointment. This will usually be six weeks after your surgery.
Recovering from knee arthroscopy
Everyone recovers from knee arthroscopy differently. How long it takes you to recover will depend on lots of things, including whether you had any treatment during your knee surgery. It takes most people two to six weeks to recovery completely. You may feel more tired than usual, so don’t do too much too soon. Ask your friends, family and neighbours to help you with practical tasks, such as food shopping or lifting heavy items.
After knee joint surgery, your knee is likely to feel sore and swollen. Try keeping your leg up and applying a cold compress, such as ice or a bag of frozen peas. This may help to reduce swelling and bruising. Don’t put ice directly onto your skin as it can damage it; wrap it in a towel first.
After the first 48 hours, you may be able to take the dressing off and uncover your cuts. You may be able to get them wet around this time too. Your surgeon or nurse will tell you exactly when you can have a bath or shower.
If you need pain relief, you can take over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Always read the patient information that comes with your medicine. If you’re worried about anything, or have any questions, ask your pharmacist for advice.
A general anaesthetic can affect you in many ways. You may find you’re not so co-ordinated or that it’s difficult to think clearly. This should pass within 24 hours. In the meantime, don’t drive, drink alcohol, operate machinery or sign anything important. Always follow your surgeon’s advice.
You may be able to walk around almost straight after your surgery. But this will depend on why you had surgery and the type of surgery you had. Some surgeons recommend a week or two of rest, followed by gentle exercise and then sports later on.
After around two to three weeks, you may be able to do some more strenuous activities. Stick to walking, swimming, gentle cycling and light exercise, as long as you’re comfortable. If you’re swimming, you may find breaststroke difficult. Avoid impact sports for at least six weeks, and always check with your surgeon first. You may not be able to do some sports for the first six months. Surgeons often have a post-surgery exercise plan that you can follow.
Knee arthroscopy is used to treat problems inside the knee joint. The most common reason for having a knee arthroscopy is to trim or repair a torn meniscus (this is the rubbery ‘shock absorber’ cartilage inside the knee). Several other procedures can be done at arthroscopic surgery including tidying up worn out joint surfaces (articular cartilage damage), repairing defects in the articular cartilage, trimming the fat pad or abnormal plicae (folds of the joint lining that can cause pain) and taking biopsies. Because several different things can be done in an arthroscopy patients’ experience of the surgery can vary.