Knee Arthroscopy
Arthroscopy examines and treats the inside of the knee through incisions of about a centimetre, using a camera. It is used for a torn meniscus, loose fragments and a knee that locks or gives way. It is not a treatment for arthritis, and that distinction matters.
- Two or three small incisions
- Usually home the same day
- Camera gives a magnified view
- Not a treatment for arthritis
Stay
Day care
Duration
30 to 60 minutes
Anaesthesia
Spinal or general
About Knee Arthroscopy
A camera and fine instruments are passed into the joint through small incisions. Torn cartilage can be trimmed or repaired, loose fragments removed and the joint surfaces assessed directly. It works well for mechanical problems: locking, catching, giving way. For arthritis pain without a mechanical problem, the evidence does not support it, and we will say so.
- Effective for mechanical symptoms like locking and catching
- Not effective for arthritis pain alone
- Repair is preferred to removal where the tear allows
- Most patients go home the same day
Before you read on
Everything here is general information about knee arthroscopy. Whether it suits you, and how it would be done in your case, is a decision for your doctor after examining you.
Your consultant's instructions always take precedence over anything written on this page.
When is it recommended?
Situations in which a doctor may suggest knee arthroscopy.
- Meniscal tear causing locking or catching
- Loose bodies within the joint
- Knee giving way after injury
- Cartilage damage needing assessment
- Persistent swelling after injury
- Diagnostic uncertainty after imaging
Procedure details
The usual sequence, from first consultation through to follow-up.
Assessment
Examination and MRI where a tear is suspected, to confirm there is a mechanical problem worth operating on.
Surgery
Two or three small incisions, a camera passed into the joint, and the problem treated with fine instruments.
Same-day discharge
Most patients go home a few hours later, walking with support and with the knee wrapped.
Physiotherapy
Exercises begin within days, because quadriceps strength returns slowly and is what protects the knee.
How to prepare
What to sort out before you come in.
- Bring MRI films and reports
- Fasting from midnight, or as instructed for an afternoon list
- Arrange somebody to take you home, as you cannot drive
- Prepare crutches and a cold pack at home
- Start quadriceps exercises before surgery if advised, as it speeds recovery
Recovery
What to expect afterwards, and roughly when.
- Most people walk with support the same day and without it within a week or two
- Swelling for two to four weeks is normal
- Physiotherapy is what determines the result, particularly quadriceps strength
- Return to desk work in about a week, sport in six weeks to three months depending on what was done
- Where a meniscus was repaired rather than trimmed, restrictions last considerably longer
Why choose Humayun for knee arthroscopy
The most useful thing an arthroscopy service does is decline the operations that will not help.
- Honest assessment of whether arthroscopy will help, since it does not treat arthritis pain
- Meniscal repair preferred to removal where the tear allows, because preserving the meniscus protects the knee long term
- Day-care pathway, so most patients are home the same day
- Physiotherapy in the same building, starting within days rather than weeks
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