A View Of Knee Scope Surgery

Knee scope surgery is a type of surgery carried out on the knee to repair damage to the knee area. Damage could be to the knee joint, the ligaments, bone or cartilage. Knee scope surgery is also referred to as knee arthroscopy due to the fact that the surgery is carried out using an arthroscope. An arthroscope an instrument that comprises of a tube, a light and a camera. The arthroscope is used in order to allow a surgeon view the internals of any part of the body without extensive cutting.

Knee scope surgery is a minimally invasive surgery. 2 or 3 small incisions are made on the knee. One incision is for the arthroscope while the others are for surgical instruments. The surgery is done under local, regional or general anesthesia depending on the surgeon’s preference or the patient’s condition. During the knee scope surgery, the surgeon uses the arthroscope to into the knee joint through one of the incisions. The images taken by the small camera are projected onto a TV screen or monitor. The knee joint is pumped with a sterile fluid such as a saline solution to stretch the knee before the scope is inserted. The fluid is also used to clear any debris and making visibility inside the knee easier. The surgeon moves the scope around to get better views of the joint and search for any problems in the knee.

The surgeon uses the other incisions for the instruments and goes ahead to repair any damage. He does this while watching the screen to guide his motions. Knee scope surgery is carried out to repair or remove a torn meniscus (associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis), repair damage to the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) or the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), remove swelling in the knees such as a Baker’s cyst, repair damaged linings of the joint, to realign a misaligned kneecap, remove any pieces of broken cartilage and to fix fractures. After the procedure, the incisions are sutured and a dressing is put on the knee. The procedure is usually done on an outpatient basis but older patients (over 60 years) may be kept overnight for observation. Dressings are removed after about a week after surgery.

Knee scope surgery is greatly preferred over the more traditional knee arthrotomy surgery that is an open knee surgery. This is because the surgery is minimally invasive, less traumatic, shorter recovery time and faster healing. There is also less scarring. Recovery time takes a few weeks but this will depend on the overall physical condition of the patient and the type of surgery done.

Like any surgery, knee scope surgery has its own risks which increase with the age of the patient. Patient may have an adverse reaction to the anesthesia, injury to nerves or blood vessels during the procedure, blood clots in the legs or infection in the knee joint.

For more information of a professional nature contact Associates In Orthopaedics