Knee arthroscopy is one of the safest orthopedic surgical procedures in practice today. It helps surgeons make an accurate diagnosis and to even perform certain types of small repairs to the knee joint, such as removing tiny shards of bone or smoothing out injured cartilage.
Let’s talk about how arthroscopic surgery works, particularly on the knee, and where you can go in greater Cleveland to finally find lasting relief from your knee pain.
How Arthroscopy Is Performed to Relieve Knee Pain
In knee arthroscopy, your orthopedic surgeon will insert a thin instrument called an arthroscope into one of the small incisions in your knee. This device has a tiny fiber-optic camera that projects an inside view of the knee to a monitor there in the operating room, so your surgeon can view the knee in real-time.
These video images will guide the practitioner in diagnosing the root cause of your knee pain and, if deemed appropriate, perform minimal surgical procedures as necessary. When the repairs are complete, the orthopedic doctor will stitch the wounds and bandage them.
Arthroscopy and Knee Pain Relief
Various knee pain conditions can benefit from the arthroscopy procedure. Your orthopedist may recommend arthroscopic surgery if you have:
- Soft-tissue injuries such as patellar tendonitis (inflammation of the kneecap tendon), bursitis (inflammation of a bursa around the knee), torn meniscus (torn cartilage), or torn ACL (torn anterior cruciate ligament)
- Hairline fracture in a bone in the knee
- Minimal damage to knee joint cartilage (arthroscopy will not work for arthritis, however)
- Synovitis(inflammation of the synovial lubricating tissue in the knee)
Currently, there is an array of surgical treatments that can be performed via arthroscopic surgery, including the following:
- ACL reconstruction
- Meniscus repair
- Meniscectomy (removal of a portion of meniscus cartilage)
- Cartilage transfer
How Arthroscopic Surgery Can Help You
As a less-invasive procedure as compared to traditional open surgery, arthroscopy usually involves a much shorter recovery time because there is less tissue that must heal.
Since only small incisions are required, the wounds are less likely to get infected, and they should heal relatively quickly.
Treatment for Knee Pain in Westlake and Avon, OH
Knee arthroscopy might be exactly the right treatment for your knee pain. If you’re looking for a lasting solution to get rid of your knee pain once and for all, the medical team at Orthopaedic Associates is here for you.
We have convenient locations in Westlake and Avon, Ohio, for patients in Cuyahoga County and Lorain County, respectively. Our dedicated team of board-certified specialists takes pride in providing exceptional orthopedic services and personalized care to help you enjoy your active lifestyle – with much less pain, or no pain at all anymore.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic doctors, call us today at (440) 892-1440 to learn about our arthroscopy services in Northeast Ohio. You may also schedule a consultation using our appointment request form online now. We look forward to serving you!
