Knee Arthroscopy

What is a diagnostic knee arthroscopy?

Diagnostic knee arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure used to examine the inside of the knee joint to diagnose issues such as cartilage damage, ligament injuries, or arthritis. The procedure involves inserting a small camera (arthroscope) through a skin incision to view the knee's internal structures in detail. This helps surgeons accurately diagnose the source of knee pain or other symptoms that may not be clearly identified through imaging tests such as X-ray or MRI.

When is a diagnostic knee arthroscopy recommended?

Diagnostic knee arthroscopy is usually performed when patients have persistent knee pain or other symptoms that cannot be fully explained by imaging tests. It is particularly useful for identifying cartilage damage, ligament injuries, or inflammatory conditions like arthritis. In some cases, knee arthroscopy can help confirm or rule out specific conditions such as meniscus tears or ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries.

It can also be used to explore joint inflammation or infection, which may not be apparent through other diagnostic methods. Whilst arthroscopy can be used to diagnose knee conditions sometimes treatments can be carried at the  same time such as repairing torn ligaments or cartilage.

What does the procedure involve?

When patients arrive at the hospital, they will meet a nurse, the anaesthetist and their surgeon. Knee arthroscopy is carried out as a day case procedure. The procedure takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour and is usually performed under general or spinal anaesthesia. After cleaning the knee, the surgeon makes small incisions around the joint. A small camera, known as an arthroscope, is inserted into the knee through one of these incisions. This allows the surgeon to view the inside of the knee on a monitor.

If necessary, small surgical instruments may be inserted through additional incisions to carry out treatments during the same procedure. Torn cartilage can be trimmed, or loose bone fragments can be removed. Once the diagnostic or treatment work is complete, the instruments are removed, and the small incisions are closed with stitches or adhesive strips.

What are the potential risks and complications

As with any surgery, knee arthroscopy carries some risks. These include infection at the incision sites and bleeding or swelling in the knee after the procedure. In some cases, there may be temporary pain, stiffness, or discomfort in the knee, but these symptoms generally improve within a few days.

Serious complications such as damage to nerves or blood vessels are very rare. The surgeon will discuss the potential risks in detail before the procedure.  

After the procedure

After knee arthroscopy, patients can expect some discomfort and swelling, but these usually subside within a few days. The surgeon may recommend applying ice packs and keeping the knee elevated to reduce swelling. Strenuous activities, heavy lifting, and high-impact exercises should be avoided for one to two weeks, depending on the recommendations from the surgeon.

Full recovery may take several weeks, especially if treatment was carried out during the procedure. In such cases the surgeon may also recommend physiotherapy to strengthen the knee to help restore mobility.

A follow-up appointment will be arranged to check on progress and discuss any findings from the procedure. If a specific condition was treated during the arthroscopy, the surgeon will provide further guidance on recovery and any additional steps that may be needed.