A Basic Guide to Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Knee arthroscopy is a surgical method that can detect and treat problems in the knee joint. During the technique, your surgeon will make a very small cut and insert a tiny camera known as Arthroscope — into your knee. This allows them to observe the inside of the joint on a screen. The knee surgeon can then examine a problem with the knee and, if required, correct the issue using small key hole incision. Arthroscopy diagnoses numerous knee problems, such as; a torn meniscus or a misaligned patella (kneecap). It can also restore the ligaments of the joint. There are partial risks to the process and the outlook is worthy for most patients. Your recovery time and projection will depend on the harshness of the knee problem and the difficulty of the required procedure.

Three diverse types of pain relief (anesthesia) may be used for knee arthroscopy surgery:

1. Local anesthesia: Your knee may be anaesthetized with pain medicine. You may also be given medications that relax you. You will still stay awake.

2. Spinal anesthesia: This is also called local anesthesia. The pain dose is injected into a space in your spine. You will be conscious but will not be able to sense anything below your waist.

3. General anesthesia: You will be sleeping and pain-free.

4. Femoral nerve block: This is another type of local anesthesia. The pain drug is injected around the nerve in your groin. You will be sleeping during the operation. This type of anesthesia will block out ache so that you require less general anesthesia.

What Happens During a Knee Arthroscopy?

Your orthopedic surgery specialists will give you an anesthetic before your knee arthroscopy. This may be:

1. Local (anaesthetizes your knee only)

2. Regional (anaesthetizes you from the waist down)

3. General (puts you completely to doze)

If you're wide-awake, you may be able to see the process on a monitor. The knee surgeon Mumbai will begin by making a few small slits or cuts, in your knee. Disinfected salt water, or saline, will then pump in to enlarge your knee. This makes it easier for the surgeon to clearly see inside the joint. The arthroscope then enters one of the cuts and the knee surgeon will look round in your joint using the attached camera. The knee specialist in Mumbai can see the pictures produced by the camera on the screen in the operating room.When the surgeon locates the problematic area in your knee, they may then inset small tools into the cuts to correct the problem. After the operation, the knee surgeon drains out the saline from your joint and closes your cuts with stitches.

What is recovery like after a Knee Arthroscopy?

This surgery isn’t very intrusive. For most individuals, the process takes only an hour or two. You will probably go home on the same day for recovery. You will be advised to use an ice pack on your knee and a dressing. The ice will help decrease swelling and lessen your pain. Your doctor will give you an exercise schedule to follow at home to support your knee recover faster, or will commend a physical therapist to see till you’re able to use your knee routinely. The exercises are essential to help restore your full range of gesture, mobility and to support your muscles. With the proper precaution, your outlook after having this process is excellent.