What to Expect from Arthroscopy for Knee Pain

You’ve had knee pain for a while. Maybe you’re recovering from a fall or a sports injury. You hoped your knee pain would resolve. Perhaps you’ve tried medication, bracing your knee, physical therapy, and more, but conservative methods aren’t working. Now you’re looking at surgery. 

Thankfully, much knee surgery today can be performed using a minimally invasive method called arthroscopy. Our board-certified orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Jonathan Shults, with Coastal Empire Orthopedics, uses arthroscopic surgery whenever possible. Your recovery time is faster than traditional open surgery for several reasons, including smaller incisions and less surrounding tissue damage. 

When is arthroscopy used for knee pain? 

Orthopedic surgeons use arthroscopy when conservative methods to control knee pain don’t work. Perhaps your imaging tests showed a meniscus or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. Maybe you have cartilage that has torn loose. 

If Dr. Shults doesn’t see a torn ligament or meniscus, the synovial lining of your knee may be inflamed from a repetitive use injury, arthritis, or an autoimmune disease. Synovial fluid keeps your knee joint moving smoothly. When it becomes inflamed, you experience pain. 

The arthroscopy procedure 

Using arthroscopy, Dr. Shults can see what’s happening inside your knee joint that is causing your pain. He can confirm a diagnosis and treat the problem at the same time. 

You’ll have your procedure at an outpatient center or a hospital and be able to go home the same day. You’ll have local, regional, or general anesthesia, depending on the extent of knee damage. 

Surgical staff cleans your knee and ensures your knee remains stable during the procedure. Dr. Shults makes one, two, or three small incisions no larger than one centimeter. A thin tool called an arthroscope is inserted through one of the incisions. 

The arthroscope has a camera which is connected to a computer and monitor. Dr. Shults views images from the camera on the monitor. 

Your surgeon can now see the full extent of your injury and proceed to make necessary repairs. They may include trimming torn meniscus or other ligament or cartilage tissue and cleaning out the debris. If you’ve completely torn your ACL, Dr. Shults uses donor tissue or takes tissue from your hamstring to replace the torn ACL. Small screws or sutures keep the ACL in place in your knee joint. 

Dr. Shults closes the incisions with stitches and secures a bandage over the area. 

Recovery after arthroscopy

The length of your recovery depends on how much work is done on your knee. Repairing a minor meniscus tear or trimming cartilage are minor procedures. In contrast, grafting hamstring tissue onto a torn ACL is a much more involved procedure that requires a fairly long recovery. 

Your full recovery could take anywhere from a couple of weeks to 4-6 months, depending on your surgery. A complete ACL tear may require a 4-6 month recovery. You’ll need physical therapy to regain lost range of motion, improve strength, and maintain balance. 

Call Coastal Empire Orthopedics or book an appointment today if you have knee pain that hasn’t resolved with conservative treatment.