Knee disorders may be severe enough to prevent walking, or may prohibit fine control necessary for work or sports activities. Knee arthroscopy provides an ever increasing role in the management of knee disorders. Knee arthroscopy is an operative procedure which allows the surgeon to look directly inside the knee. Using small incisions, the arthroscope is inserted into the knee, and images are transmitted by a camera to a T.V. monitor. This produces an actual picture of the interior of the knee.
Knee arthroscopy is used basically in three ways.
The first is diagnostic arthroscopy, that is, to look inside the knee to make a diagnosis. The second is operative arthroscopy, actually performing a surgical procedure with the arthroscope and small instruments. Finally, the arthroscope may be used in combination with extensive surgery as part of a reconstructive procedure. With the use of the arthroscope, many types of procedures can be done without having to make large incisions into the knee. Without large incisions, the surgery is less painful and the recovery is much quicker.