Knee

What is knee arthroscopy

Knee arthroscopy is a form of keyhole surgery that involves inserting a small telescope (arthroscope) into the knee to help diagnosis and/or treat common knee injuries. The cartilage and ligaments in your knee are important and specialised components of your knee joint. They are also individually susceptible to damage and pain. The small camera on the end of the telescope projects the image onto a nearby monitor that allows your surgeon to get a closer look at your knee joint. If a diagnosis is made, treatment can happen simultaneously through another small incision in your knee.

“The use of specialised equipment in arthroscopic surgery means less pain and a quicker recovery time that gets you back to doing the things you enjoy,” says Dr Jeong Young.

Am I a candidate?

If you have damaged the cartilage in your knee or have torn your meniscus, a knee arthroscopy may be used to repair or remove the damaged structures. Other possible reasons for requiring an arthroscopic procedure can include the removal of loose fragments of bone or cartilage, or for cleaning out an infection. An arthroscopy will rarely be used for observational purposes alone.

What’s involved?

Dr Jeong Young will make two or three small incisions, one for the small camera (arthroscope), and one or two more for the small surgical instruments. Because a knee arthroscopy is a keyhole operation, it is often treated as a day-case surgery. The procedure takes roughly fifteen to thirty minutes to complete, depending on your diagnosis. You can typically go home four to six hours after having your surgery.