A Knee Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which treatment of the knee joint is performed using an arthroscope that is inserted into the joint through a small incision. Arthroscopic procedures can be performed either to evaluate and treat many orthopedic conditions including ACL reconstruction and trimming damaged cartilage or removing loose fragments.
The advantage of arthroscopy over traditional open surgery is that the joint does not have to be fully opened. Instead, in a knee arthroscopy, two small incisions are made—one for the arthroscope and one for the surgical instruments to be used in the knee cavity. This reduces recovery time and may increase the rate of surgical success due to less trauma to the surrounding tissue. It is especially useful for athletes and anyone who injures a joint and hopes for a fast healing time. There is also less scarring because of the smaller incisions.
The surgical instruments used are smaller than traditional instruments. Surgeons view the joint area on a video monitor and can diagnose and repair torn joint tissue, such as ligaments and menisci or cartilage. Recovery times vary depending on the condition or injury being addressed.
