DR. CHETAN WANKHEDE is Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Arthroscopic Knee Surgeon in Thane and Mumbai.

Knee arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that allows access to and treatment of injuries affecting the various structures of the knee joint. Two or three small incisions of less than a centimetre are made to allow access to knee joint.

Knee arthroscopy is used to treat knee injuries. One of the most common pathologies is meniscus injury like medical tear medial or lateral. Meniscal sutures and menisectomy (partial or total) through knee arthroscopy are common techniques for improving protection for the joint cartilage.

Another serious sports injury is rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. Injury to this ligament causes instability in the knee. If instability continues, it can damage surrounding structures such as the meniscus and cartilage. The anterior cruciate ligament must therefore be reconstructed with grafts, using arthroscopy to access the joint.

Another common problem is cartilage injury (chondropathy, osteoarthritis or osteochondritis). Preserving the cartilage will also preserve the joint, thus preventing wear of the knee.

Procedure:

The surgeon will make small incisions in the knee to access the joint. They first fill the knee joint with a sterile solution and remove any cloudy fluid, which will allow them to see the joint clearly.

The specialist will then insert the arthroscope (a thin device with a camera at the end) into the knee. This device sends images to the TV monitor so that the surgeon can see all the structures in detail. Through the other holes, the surgeon inserts the surgical material that will allow them to treat the injury and repair the damaged structures.

The procedure rarely lasts more than an hour. During ACL reconstruction, Graft is taken from same side SEMITENDINOSIS and GRACILIS tendon and is made into 4-6 strand graft thickness of graft around 7-9mm. femoral and tibial preparation done with jig and graft is passed and fixed with flexibleendobutton and biodegradable screw.

Post-operative care

The recovery period after arthroscopy is shorter than after conventional open surgery. It is normal to experience some swelling in the days following surgery, so you should elevate the leg during those first few days. Applying ice will relieve any pain and reduce inflammation. Keep the incisions clean and dry to aid healing. The specialist will tell you when it is okay for you to shower and change the dressing. Shortly after the intervention, you should begin rehabilitation exercises with a physiotherapist, who will prepare a programme appropriate for you and the type of injury. This will strengthen the knee muscles and help restore movement. Recovery period will around 6 – 8 weeks.