The knee arthroscopy procedure aims to treat many problems, such as: erosion of the articular cartilage caused by chronic arthritis , joint dislocations, ligament tears, and fluid drainage.
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| Knee Arthroscopy |
How is knee arthroscopy performed?
There are other alternatives to the arthroscopy of the knee joint, such as: joint replacement and osteotomy. The choice of the type of operation depends on the age of the patient and the severity of the condition.
Risks of performing the operation
The arthroscopic procedure is associated with many risks, such as the following:
Surgical incision infection.
bleeding.
Scars at the site of surgery.
A drop in blood pressure.
Damage to the surrounding nerves.
Damage to ligaments or muscles.
Fat embolism.
Before the operation
Blood tests should be done for the patient depending on the age of the patient, and the diseases he suffers from, as some general blood tests can be done, such as: comprehensive blood count, blood chemistry , and coagulation tests.
In addition, an x-ray, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging of the joint area is made .
The doctor must be informed of all medications, nutritional supplements and herbs that the patient is taking, and the patient must fast for 8 hours before the operation.
during operation
After the anesthesia is completed, the surgical area is disinfected, then small incisions are made in the front of the knee to insert the arthroscope device through one of the incisions, through which he can see the knee cavity on the TV screen.
Some surgical tools are inserted through other incisions to complete the required surgical procedure according to the situation, such as cutting the excess cartilage and bone tissue in cases of degenerative costochondritis, then the small incisions are sutured, and an elastic bandage is placed on the joint.
After the operation
The patient can leave the hospital or stay to make sure his condition is stable, and this varies depending on the type of injury and the severity of the pain he suffers, and the stitches are usually taken out after about a week.
In some cases, the patient is given some painkillers and antibiotics intravenously to prevent infection.
The patient must go directly to the doctor if some symptoms appear, such as: severe pain, loss of sensation in the area, feeling weak, high temperature, shortness of breath, secretions from the surgical incision, and bleeding.
Most patients feel an improvement in performance after the arthroscopy of the knee, and it is advisable to move and move early after the operation, as it improves the result of the operation, with the need to avoid making sharp movements, such as bending and rotating the joint.