Knee arthroscopy is a surgery in which a small camera is attached to a video monitor and is used to examine or repair tissues inside the knee joint with special instruments.
Arthroscopy may be recommended for knee problems, such as:
- A torn meniscus (either repair or remove)
- Mild arthritis
- Loose bodies (small pieces of broken cartillage) in the knee joint
- A torn or damaged anterior cruciate or posterior cruciate ligament
- Inflamed or damaged lining of the joint (synovium)
- Malalignment of the knee cap (patella)
The Procedure
Arthroscopic surgery on the knee involves inserting a small camera (less than 1/4 inch diameter) into the knee joint through a small incision (barely larger than the camera). This camera is attached to a video monitor the surgeon uses to see inside the knee.
After the camera is inserted, saline is pumped in under pressure to expand the joint and to help control bleeding. Some surgeons also use a tourniquet to prevent bleeding, but this can obscure the picture on the monitor. After looking around the entire knee for problem areas, the surgeon will make from one to four other small incisions to insert other instruments with which the surgery is performed.
At the completion of the surgery, the saline is drained from the knee, the incisions are closed, and a dressing applied.
Use of arthroscopy has reduced the need to surgically open the knee joint. This has resulted in less pain and stiffness, fewer complications, decreased length (if any) of hospitalization, and faster recovery time. Expectations vary widely with the indication for the surgery.
Recovery
For a simple meniscal cleaning (debridement), recovery is usually quite rapid. The patient may need to use crutches for a while to reduce weight placed on the knee joint to control pain. Pain can be managed with medications.
For more complicated procedures where anything is fixed or reconstructed, patients may not be able to walk on the knee for several weeks, and the overall recovery may be anywhere from several months to a year.
