Treatment: Knee Arthroscopy

Why you might need?

A Knee Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure performed to diagnose and treat injuries related to the knee joint. It is performed by putting a small camera called an “arthroscope” into the knee. The scope allows the surgeon to see inside of the knee joint, and if needed to perform small alterations using tools within the scope. You may require a knee arthroscopy when the ligaments in your joints need repairing, or if you have a misaligned kneecap.

Treatment Info

You will be given either local, regional or general anaesthetic depending on your surgeon’s discretion. The surgeon will make several small incisions called “portals” in the knee. The scope will then be inserted and will show an image from inside the knee. This will give the surgeon an understanding of what is causing pain and will help diagnose the problem. There are small instruments within the arthroscope that can be used to shave, cut or grasp the ligaments in the knee.

Treatment Risks

The risk rate after arthroscopic surgery is low. If complications do occur they are usually general surgical issues such as:

• Pain
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Scarring
• Numbness

Treatment Recovery

After surgery you will be allowed to go home as Arthroscopy is a day case surgical procedure, meaning you will be okay to go home on the day. It may however take 6 weeks to recover properly. You should be able to go to work soon after the surgery if you have an office job, but shouldn’t expect to go back to a physical labour job straight away. Your doctor will advise you on how best to manage pain. Your journey with us doesn’t end after surgery, however. We will set you up with our OneWelbeck app that will provide you post surgery tips and personalised videos from your doctor.