Your knees are one of the most complex and largest body joints. Arthroscopic
knee surgery, also called knee scoping, is a minimally invasive surgical
technique designed to diagnose and treat problems in the knee joint via
a tiny camera, called an arthroscope, inserted through a small incision
into the knee joint. This camera displays images on a video monitor in
the operating room so your knee surgeon can guide tiny surgical instruments
in the joint to correct your knee problem. Knee surgery may be necessary
to reduce or eliminate the pain associated with damage to the soft tissues
of the joint.
What Does Knee Arthroscopy Treat?
Not all conditions that cause knee pain can be effectively treated with
knee arthroscopy. However, your knee surgeon may recommend knee arthroscopy
if you have knee pain that is not responding to nonsurgical treatment.
Knee arthroscopy is used to diagnose and treat several knee problems that
damage the cartilage surfaces and other soft tissues surrounding the knee joint.
Commons conditions treated by knee arthroscopy include:
Inflamed or swollen synovium (lining of the knee joint)
Knee fracture
Damaged articular cartilage / cartilage transfer
Loose fragments of bone or cartilage
Patella (kneecap) problems
Knee sepsis / knee injections
Performing Arthroscopic Knee Surgery
Knee arthroscopy is typically performed in an outpatient surgery center.
Prior to surgery, your anesthesiologist and knee surgeon will determine
the best anesthesia to use for your procedure; local (numbing the knee
only), regional (numbing from the waist down) or general anesthesia (putting
the patient to sleep) and that will be administered to you before surgery.
A sterile saline solution is injected into the joint to inflate the knee
area so your orthopedic surgeon can visualize the knee with greater detail.
The doctor will make "portals" in your knee through 2 or 3 small
incisions to gain access to the knee joint. The portals are placed in
specific locations to minimize the potential for injury to surrounding
nerves, blood vessels, and tendons. Through one portal, the camera (arthroscope)
is placed into the joint, and through the others, tiny surgical instruments
used for tasks like shaving, cutting, grasping, suture passing and knot
tying. Your knee surgeon’s first step of surgery is to make a proper
diagnosis. Your doctor will then insert the arthroscope and use the real-time
images projected on the screen in the operating room to guide the camera.
If surgical treatment is needed, your surgeon will use the tiny instruments
passed through one of the portals. In many cases, special devices are
used to anchor stitches into the bone. Usually, knee arthroscopy takes
less than an hour, but it depends upon your surgeon’s findings and
what treatments are necessary.
Recovery from Surgery
In addition to pain medicine, your surgeon may also recommend medication
such as aspirin to lessen the risk of blood clots. Your doctor will advise
you to keep your leg elevated as often as possible for at least the first
few days following surgery. Icing the knee can relieve pain and swelling.
After a few days, you will see your surgeon to check your healing progress,
review any surgical findings, and prescribe a rehabilitation/treatment
program that may include physical therapy. It’s important to exercise
the knee regularly for several weeks following your knee arthroscopy to
help restore range of motion and to strengthen leg and knee muscles.
Outcome
Many people return to full, unrestricted activities after knee arthroscopy.
Your recovery will depend on the type of damage that was present in your
knee. Unless you have had a ligament reconstruction, full return to most
physical activities is possible after 6 to 8 weeks. However, make sure
you get clearance from your orthopedic knee surgeon before going back
to your regular activities. For instance, if your job involves demanding
physical labor, you may need to take extra time to heal.
Trust the Knee Surgeons at Newport Orthopedic Institute
Our board-certified, fellowship-trained Orange County knee surgeons are
experts at performing knee arthroscopy for a wide range of knee injuries
and conditions.
To learn more about knee arthroscopy in Orange County,
Call Newport Orthopedic Institute at (949) 722-7038.
*Please note that all physicians are listed in random order and search results are refreshed every hour to comply with Stark Law.
Related Testimonials
Knee Scope Without Reconstruction"Dr. Beyer is an excellent surgeon. Terrific staff that follows up and answers your questions."Provider: Alan H Beyer MD
Knee Scope Without Reconstruction"Everything from Staff to the doctor himself, the ease of moving in and out of the hospital and the kindnesses of staff from the scheduler through to the nurses."Provider: Alan H Beyer MD
Knee Scope With Reconstruction"Dr was very confident about his skills. The team didn't seem to be consistent with in information especially on the DME usage and or post op instructions"Provider: David S Gazzaniga MD
Total Knee Replacement"Everything is explained well, options are gone over thoroughly. All the staff is very knowledgeable. Dr. Caillouette and Cara PA are patient and answers all questions - Cara is very friendly too!"Provider: James T Caillouette MD
Knee Scope Without Reconstruction"The post-operation daily follow up was great. All of my questions and concerns were quickly answered."Provider: Alan H Beyer MD
Total Knee Replacement"Everyone was patient and kind throughout my surgical experience."Provider: Nader A Nassif MD
Knee Scope Without Reconstruction"Happy, upbeat and ready to help me fix the problem!"Provider: Alan H Beyer MD
Total Knee Replacement"I appreciated the professional, courteous and friendly attitude of everyone involved."Provider: Alan H Beyer MD
Total Knee Replacement"I liked the prep work before the surgery."Provider: Nader A Nassif MD
Total Knee Replacement"Both procedures, hip and knee, went remarkably well. Cara's follow-up care has been wonderful, and Julie's coordination has been wonderfully appreciated. I've already recommended two friends to Dr. Caillouette,, and suspect I will be recommending others ..."Provider: James T Caillouette MD
Knee Scope Without Reconstruction"Always courteous and on time. I never have to wait and everyone is extremely helpful."Provider: Alan H Beyer MD
Total Knee Replacement"The easy accessibility of Dr. Nassif and his team made the whole experience most comforting. I was able to ask questions and post photos using HealthLoop. I received responses within a reasonable time frame. If it needed be, I could also called the offic ..."Provider: Nader A Nassif MD
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