Knee Arthroscopy Specialist

What is knee arthroscopy?

Arthroscopy is a surgical technique that allows Dr. Feldman to diagnose and treat problems in your knee joint through a small incision. This technique uses an arthroscope, which is a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera lens.

During knee arthroscopy, Dr. Feldman inserts the arthroscope into a buttonhole-sized incision around your knee. The arthroscope magnifies and projects images of the inside of your knee onto a monitor. This provides Dr. Feldman with a clear view of tissues and structures that may not be visible with a noninvasive imaging test like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Why would I need knee arthroscopy?

As the largest joints in your body, your knees are prone to many painful injuries and conditions. Dr. Feldman may recommend knee arthroscopy if you have knee pain that doesn’t improve with nonsurgical treatments, like physical therapy and medications.

Knee arthroscopy is useful in diagnosing and treating a variety of conditions, including:

• Torn or damaged meniscus
• Torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
• Torn posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)
• Anterior cartilage damage
• Loose fragments of bone or cartilage
• Misaligned kneecap (patella)
• Knee pain and inflammation

If Dr. Feldman discovers damaged or torn tissue during knee arthroscopy, he may use specialized surgical tools to repair the problem during the same procedure.

What should I expect from a knee arthroscopy procedure?

First, the team at Active Joints Orthopedics carefully reviews your medical history and symptoms and performs a physical exam to make sure knee arthroscopy is right for you. They also discuss the best type of anesthesia for your procedure: local, regional, or general.

During knee arthroscopy, Dr. Feldman makes a small incision in your knee and inserts the arthroscope. He fills your knee joint with a saltwater solution so he can see the structures more clearly.

Once he pinpoints the area of tissue damage, Dr. Feldman makes 1-4 new incisions, just as small as the first, to insert miniature surgical instruments. When he’s finished treating your knee, Dr. Feldman removes all instruments, drains the fluid from your knee, and closes the incisions.

Because knee arthroscopy is minimally invasive, you experience less bleeding, scarring, and pain than you would with open surgery. You should be able to go home the same day. If you don’t have a chronic condition, like arthritis, you should expect a full recovery within 4-6 weeks.

To learn more about knee arthroscopy, call Active Joints Orthopedics or book an appointment online today.