Knee arthroscopy — sometimes called knee scoping — is a minimally invasive medical procedure used on the knee joint to diagnose and treat knee conditions or injuries. It’s performed using an arthroscope, which is a tiny surgical instrument with a light and camera at the end that is inserted into the knee.
When do you need arthroscopic knee surgery?
If you’re experiencing knee pain that isn’t improving with time, loss of motion, swelling or redness in the knee, Joseph Thomas MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the TriHealth Orthopedic and Spine Institute, says to make an appointment with your doctor. From there, your surgeon may recommend arthroscopic knee surgery.
Is it worth having a knee arthroscopy?
It’s based on the review of a randomized trial published in 2016 by BMJ . A panel of 18 experts issued the recommendation. In it, they strongly suggest that arthroscopic surgery offers little to no benefit over exercise therapy. The recommendation applies to nearly all people with degenerative knee disease.
What is the average recovery time for arthroscopic knee surgery?
You will probably need about 6 weeks to recover. If your doctor repaired damaged tissue, recovery will take longer. You may have to limit your activity until your knee strength and movement are back to normal. You may also be in a physical rehabilitation (rehab) program.
Will walking on a torn meniscus make it worse?
People usually feel pain, but can still walk. Sometimes swelling also occurs and it may get worse over time. You also might feel your knee getting stiffer.
What is the best exercise for a torn meniscus?
Once you have your doctor’s approval to begin exercising, try some of these exercises to enhance your strength and stability following a meniscus tear.
Does a torn meniscus hurt all the time?
Yes, at some point in time most all meniscus tears will hurt. But that doesn’t mean they will hurt for a long time. In many cases the pain from a meniscus tear will either improve significantly or go away without surgery.
Can a meniscus tear lead to knee replacement?
A study of patients with osteoarthritis who underwent arthroscopic partial meniscectomy showed that the risk of total knee replacement was 400% greater than those who received non-surgical therapies.
What percentage of meniscus tears require surgery?
Less than 10 percent of meniscal tears occurring in patients age 40 or older can be repaired. This is often because the tissue degeneration affects blood flow to the cartilage, making healing less likely after surgery. A doctor may recommend removing the damaged tissue and suggest physical therapy exercises.
What are the long term effects of a torn meniscus?
In serious cases, it can develop into long-term knee problems, like arthritis. In addition moving around with a torn meniscus could pull fragments of the cartilage into the joint causing larger knee issues which could requiring more significant surgery in the future.
How long are you off work for a meniscus surgery?
If you sit at work, you may be able to go back in 1 to 2 weeks. But if you are on your feet at work, it may take 4 to 6 weeks. If you are very physically active in your job, it may take 3 to 6 months.
Can you walk immediately after meniscus surgery?
Most patients can walk without a knee brace and crutches in about 2 to 3 months. Recovery time from a partial meniscectomy (partial removal of the meniscus) is quicker than recovery from a meniscus repair.
Do they put you to sleep for meniscus surgery?
Typically, the surgery can be performed under local anesthesia with sedation, so there’s minimal anesthesia risk. Occasionally, small stitches can be placed into the torn cartilage to sew it back together; this technique can successfully treat large tears in younger people.
How long do you stay in the hospital after meniscus surgery?
Patients should notify their surgeon if they have had previous difficulties with pain medication or pain control. Arthroscopic meniscus repair is an outpatient procedure. After surgery, the patient spends one to two hours in the recovery room, and is discharged to home with a friend or family member.
What is the fastest way to recover from meniscus surgery?
Instead, doctors often prescribe “R.I.C.E.” That stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation.
Is walking good for torn meniscus?
A torn meniscus usually produces well-localized pain in the knee. The pain often is worse during twisting or squatting motions. Unless the torn meniscus has locked the knee, many people with a torn meniscus can walk, stand, sit, and sleep without pain.
Why can’t you bend your knee after meniscus surgery?
The fluid in your knee often remains there for at least 4-6 weeks after surgery until your body can reabsorb it. This fluid will make your knee feel tight or stiff, especially with deep knee bending or squatting.
Why do I still have knee pain after meniscus surgery?
Can the Meniscus Tear Again after Surgery? A possible cause for knee pain 1 year after meniscus surgery would be a retear of the meniscus. Realize that, as discussed above, the torn part of your meniscus was removed. That means that the remaining meniscus is smaller, but still taking the same pressure.
What is the success rate of meniscus repair?
Some studies have reported success rates for meniscal repair to be up to 60–90 % depending on the region of meniscal repair [7–10]. Meniscal repairs performed in conjunction with ACL reconstruction are generally thought to have a better healing rate than meniscal repair in knees with intact ACLs [7].
