If you have ongoing knee pain or other knee problems, then your doctor may recommend arthroscopic surgery. It can be used to diagnose and treat a variety of conditions to reduce inflammation, repair damage, and remove any infected tissue.
When your doctor advises that you need knee arthroscopic surgery, it’s natural to feel anxious or overwhelmed, especially if you don’t know what to expect. But rest assured that we have you covered. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is Knee Arthroscopy?
Knee arthroscopy surgery is a minimally invasive treatment whereby your healthcare provider inserts a tiny camera through a small incision in your knee. This camera provides them with a closer look at your joint, so they are able to accurately diagnose your knee condition. If injuries or structural problems are present, they may make further incisions where they will insert small tools to repair or remove any damaged tissue. Minimally invasive surgeries require smaller incisions than traditional surgeries, with each cut about the size of a keyhole. Although it’s classed as a minor surgery, you will likely be placed under general anaesthetic for the procedure.
Preparing for Your Surgery
Preparing for your surgery is key and you should meet with your consultant prior to the procedure to understand what you need to do. It’s important to remember that your needs could be different to others and to follow the recommended advice from your healthcare provider. They will identify any problems that may interfere with the surgery and give advice based on your unique needs. You may be asked to:
- Stop taking certain medications such as blood thinners before surgery to avoid complications
- Stop eating and drinking the night before the procedure if general anaesthetic will be used
- Stop smoking prior to surgery to reduce the risk of complications
Arriving for Your Surgery
In the majority of cases, your arthroscopy will be an outpatient procedure. This means that you will arrive and go home on the same day with no overnight stay needed. In the build-up to the procedure, your healthcare provider will have advised on what time to arrive and how to prepare. It’s important that these instructions are followed.
Before your surgery, a member of the anaesthesia team will talk with you about which method of anaesthesia you will be having. This could be:
- Local anaesthetic that numbs the entire knee but does not put you to sleep
- Regional anaesthetic that numbs a wider area but does not put you to sleep
- General anaesthetic that puts you to sleep for the entire procedure
The Surgical Procedure: Step-by-Step
Your surgical procedure should take less than an hour but that is dependent on the amount of work that your surgeon needs to do. A simple diagnosis procedure will be quicker than repairing injury and structural damage.
Firstly, your surgeon will ensure that you are lying down on the table with your knee clearly visible. More often than not, you will position yourself on the table prior to being placed under anaesthesia. Once the anaesthetic has started working, they will make some small incisions in the skin around the knee. They will use these incisions to clean your knee with sterile fluid, making the area easier to see.
Then, the surgeon will insert a tiny camera (the arthroscope) into one of the incisions, moving it around the entire knee so they don’t miss anything, all while looking at the video on a larger monitor. During the arthroscopy, if the surgeon finds injured or damaged tissue, they may use other surgical tools to repair or remove it. In some cases, damaged cartilage will also be repaired in an attempt to reduce pain and swelling.
Once finished, they will drain any fluid, close all incisions with stitches and ensure that your knee is properly dressed. Depending on the extent of the treatment, they may give a local anaesthetic injection to act as a painkiller.
Immediately After Surgery: The Recovery Room
If you have had your procedure under general anaesthetic, you will wake up in the recovery room. If you had local anaesthetic, you will likely still be taken to the recovery room after your procedure, but you’ll be aware of that process. Medical staff will regularly monitor your vital signs, ensure that your knee is elevated and that you are comfortable and provide additional pain medication as needed. In most cases, you will be ready to return home within a couple of hours, but you will require someone to drive you and stay with you for a minimum of 24 hours post-surgery.
First Few Days at Home: Managing Pain and Swelling
In the first few days following surgery, it’s natural to feel some pain and swelling as the anaesthetic and initial painkillers wear off. During this time, it’s beneficial to follow the advice of your healthcare provider in order to get your recovery off to the best start possible. General advice is as follows:
- Stay off your feet and avoid putting weight on your knee
- Utilise an aid or crutches to move around if needed
- Elevate your knee as much as possible to reduce swelling
- Take pain medication as prescribed
- Keep your incisions covered and the area clean
Rehabilitation and Return to Activity, Potential Risks and Complications
Your recovery journey will be dependent on your age, your health, your lifestyle and the severity of your knee arthroscopy. Everyone responds to surgery differently so you should work with your surgeon to create a personalised rehabilitation plan that works for you. Often, it can take several weeks to return to physical or strenuous activities and the process will begin with low-impact movements.
Throughout the rehabilitation process, you should be aware of some complications that can arise. These include:
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Infection
- Nerve damage
- Muscle weakness
If you are concerned at all during your recovery, it’s important to seek the advice of your surgery team or another healthcare professional.
Speak to an Expert
For more information on knee arthroscopic surgery, get in touch with Dr David Slattery on 03 5752 5020. A knowledgeable, experienced and highly decorated orthopaedic surgeon, he can answer all of your questions with ease.
