Cartilage injuries or unstable cartilage can be treated surgically.
Surgery recommended for high grade cartilage injuries and require resurfacing or debridement.
Procedures include arthroscopic and open surgery.
Arthroscopic surgery utilizes small incisions to allow passage of an arthroscope, filling the joint with fluid and transmitting an image to a television monitor and allows insertion of instruments to remove or repair damaged tissue.
Arthroscopic surgery usually performed as an outpatient procedure.
Open knee surgery requires larger incisions and usually requires a hospital stay.
Physical therapy utilized to increases range of motion, improve flexibility, and strengthening muscles around the knee to take stress off of injured tissues.
Knee arthroscopy uses a tiny camera to look inside the knee.
Small cuts are made to insert the camera and utilizes small surgical tools.
Three types of anesthesia may be used for knee arthroscopy surgery:
Local anesthesia.
Spinal anesthesia
General anesthesia.
Saline is pumped into the knee.
Torn meniscus: Surgery can be done to repair or remove it.
Torn or damaged anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)
Torn or damaged collateral ligament
Full recovery after knee arthroscopy will depend on what type of problem was treated.
Problems such as a torn meniscus, broken cartilage, Baker’s cyst, and problems with the synovium are often easily fixed.
Recovery from simple procedures is fast in most cases.
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