Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Arthroscopic knee surgery is a minimally invasive treatment option for many sports injuries affecting the knee that has grown to become one of the most common orthopedic procedures performed in the United States. Dr. Kenneth Alleyne at Eastern Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Bloomfield and and South Windsor, Connecticut and Midtown East of New York, New York, has extensive experience treating common knee injuries with arthroscopy, allowing for fast recovery.

All Your Questions Answered

What is arthroscopic knee surgery?

Arthroscopic knee surgery, or a knee arthroscopy, is a surgical procedure that uses less invasive techniques than an open knee surgery. During the procedure, Dr. Alleyne uses a small camera attached to a thin tube, called an arthroscope, to examine the source of your injury.

What conditions are treated with knee arthroscopy?

Arthroscopy is particularly useful in treating injuries that are common in the joints or ligaments of your knee, such as those often incurred while playing sports. Some of the most common injuries Dr. Alleyne treats include:

Torn meniscus
Torn ACLs
Loose bodies in your knee, such as cartilage
Fractures

Even if your injury is too severe for arthroscopic correction, the initial arthroscopic inspection helps Dr. Alleyne obtain a complete diagnosis of your injury.

What can I expect during knee arthroscopy?

As a minimally invasive procedure, you typically don’t have to worry about major preparations prior to your appointment, though you might need to refrain from eating for several hours prior to your surgery. Prior to your surgery, Dr. Alleyne will administer an anesthetic. Whether you receive local, regional, or general anesthesia depends on the extent of your injury along with your personal preferences. Once you are anesthetized, Dr. Alleyne will create several small incisions in your knee and fill your knee joint with sterilized salt water. After your knee is expanded with water, he’ll guide the arthroscope into the incision, which projects an image of the inside of your knee to a nearby monitor. After locating the injury, Dr. Alleyne inserts several small surgical tools through the incisions. Using the arthroscope image as a guide, Dr. Alleyne can then easily correct your injury. Once the surgery is complete, Dr. Alleyne drains your knee closes the incisions with stitches. The entire procedure typically takes no more than an hour, and you can return home the same day, in most case.

How long is knee arthroscopy recovery?

Your recovery period following your procedure depends on a few factors, including the extent of your injury and your overall fitness. Dr. Alleyne will recommend a regimen of rest and knee exercises for recovery, and may also recommend a physical therapist. If you follow your recovery instructions, you can expect to go back to work within a week, and you should be able to return to most physical activities within six to eight weeks.