Arthroscopy – The Joint Healer

Arthroscopy – The Joint Healer

“With arthroscopy, degenerated and worn cartilage can be smoothed, reducing

inflammation”

Arthroscopy simply means ‘looking inside a joint’. Modern day techniques allow us to do this by

means of an arthroscope, which the surgeon inserts into the knee joint through an incision,

hence the term ‘keyhole surgery’. A second small incision (cut into the skin) allows the passage

of instruments into the knee joint to deal with any abnormalities.

Arthroscopy requires only small incisions around the knee which allow the insertion of small

instruments, about the size of a pen or pencil. With arthroscopy, degenerated and worn

cartilage can be smoothed, which reduces the inflammation. Additionally, the lining of the knee

(synovium) can be trimmed and this also decreases inflammation. Patients who have knee

arthroscopy almost always go home the same day. Visit your nearest Apollo Day Surgery Clinic

to get your joints tested.

Arthroscopy is recommended in severe cases when there is no other option but surgery. Some

of the circumstances when arthroscopy is recommended include:

Removal of cartilage tears - Meniscal tears are a very common problem. Any tears of

the menisci can lead to loose flaps which can get caught between the bone surfaces

causing severe pain.

Biopsy is often carried out for recurrent knee pain and swelling when there is no

obvious cause such as a fall or injury. Inflammation of the joint lining could be a cause,

with inflammatory joint disease often seen following a recent cold or flu.

Osteoarthritis is the wear and tear of the joints caused by advancing age. This is the

commonest form of arthritis and is due to a gradual deterioration of the joint lining.

Other signs of this wear and tear are gradual stiffening of the knee joint and moderate

swelling of the joint and changes seen on X-rays.

Removal of loose fragments of bone or cartilage.

Reconstruction of torn ligaments.

Almost all arthroscopic knee surgeries are done on an outpatient basis. Usually, the patient will

be asked to arrive at the hospital an hour or two prior to the operation. It is important that the

patient does not eat or drink anything after midnight, the night before your surgery. At the

conclusion of the surgery, the surgeon will close the incisions with a suture or paper tape and

cover them with a bandage.

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