Knee Arthroscopy and recovery: a short guide

Knee injuries can be both painful and worrying. They can give you trouble with range of motion and basic activities like walking. While many knee injuries will improve on their own with only minor treatments like rest, some injuries will need more extensive surgery. This article will examine knee arthroscopy and reconstruction and tell you everything you need to know.

Knee arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgery that allows treatment and diagnosis to be done in a very accurate manner. Instead of making a large incision like a typical surgery, the surgeon will insert a tiny camera into the knee joint. The camera will send images that will guide the surgical instruments. Because everything involved in the surgery is so small, patients suffer from less post-op pain or stiffness and overall, recovery is much smoother.

If your injury is not responding to conservative treatments like rest or ice, then your doctor may recommend an arthroscopy. Here are some situations that arthroscopy can treat:

1. torn anterior or posterior cruciate ligaments
2. torn meniscus (the cartilage between the bones in the knee)
3. patella that’s out of position
4. pieces of torn cartilage that are loose in the joint
5. removal of a Baker’s cyst
6. fractures in the knee bones
7. swollen synovium (the lining in the joint)

Here are the typical steps of a knee arthroscopy procedure:

1. Before the actual procedure starts, you will undergo preparation. This includes cleaning of the area, applying surgical draping and importantly, administering the anesthesia.
2. To begin the surgery, the surgeon will make small incisions and use a sterile fluid to make the area clear.
3. Then they will insert the camera or arthroscope.
4. With the arthroscope inserted, the surgeon will diagnose the issue and determine the next step. This may be to use surgical instruments to repair the problem immediately.
5. These procedures tend not to last longer than an hour and once it’s over, the surgeon will close the incisions with either incisions or steri-strips.

Because the surgery is minimally invasive, most patients will be able to go home the same day. Recovery at home will rely on rest, elevation of the leg and ice to keep the swelling down. While recovery is much faster than traditional open surgery, it can still take around 6-8 weeks before physical activity can be resumed.  Patients will likely also need physical therapy as a part of their knee ligaments recovery program. 

While most knee injuries can be treated conservatively with a regime of basic exercises and rest, sometimes it may be necessary to undergo arthroscopy surgery. The procedure is minimally invasive, eaves no large wounds and is typically a much smoother and quicker recovery. Regardless of what surgery you may need, it’s important that you feel safe in the hands of a highly capable surgeon. Kayal Orthopaedic Center is one of the best practitioners in the Bergen County. Their combination of deep expertise and quality care, sets them apart as pioneers of the industry.

To learn more about knee Arthroscopy and reconstruction today, check out Kayal Orthopaedic Center