Common Knee Procedures

Arthroscopy

An arthroscopy is the examination of the interior of a joint via a small incision, performed to assess and repair damage. Usually a day case the patient will be free to leave once the anaesthesia has worn off.

Meniscus surgery and repair

Meniscus repairs are done via an arthroscopy and is a common sporting injury. The menisci are cartilage tissue which act as shock absorbers in the knee joint and operations to repair or remove the torn meniscus are common place.

Anterior Cruciate injuries

Injury to the ACL are extremely debilitating and can often be seen in sports people. Often caused by the patient’s knee simply being bent too far back or sideways the injury causes a major instability of the knee. Surgery is often required with a prolonged period of rehabilitation.

Patellar dislocation

Patellar dislocation is an injury to the knee often caused by a direct blow or sudden twist of the leg. The Patella is more commonly known as the kneecap and when this slips out of place causes severe pain and inflammation. Surgery is not always necessary but specialist opinions should be sought.

Partial or total knee replacement

Partial knee replacement is often used for arthritis cases of the knee and is widely seen as a minimally invasive procedure and has a faster recovery rate than the traditional total knee replacement. This is often only considered after having not found relief through standard conservative treatments

Total knee replacements are generally recommended for patients with severe arthritis or injury and only after all other forms of treatments have been administered.

With only the surface of the bones being replaced the procedure is not as demanding as many patients think, even though the recovery period is considerable.