Whether you suffer a sudden knee injury or have struggled with knee pain for weeks, you may need a knee arthroscopy to look inside the joint, determine the cause of your pain, and repair the problem. At Samimi Orthopedic Group, Babak Samimi, MD, and David Eldringhoff, MD, provide comprehensive knee care, from conservative treatments to their expertise in minimally invasive knee arthroscopy. To schedule an appointment, call one of the Los Angeles area offices in Brentwood, West Covina, or Sherman Oaks, California, or schedule online today.
Knee arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that allows Samimi Orthopedic Group to examine the tissues inside your knee, diagnose injuries and diseases, and then perform surgery if needed to repair the problem.
The incision size marks the difference between minimally invasive surgery and traditional open surgery. For example, your provider makes several tiny incisions during knee arthroscopy, just large enough to insert pencil-sized instruments into the joint. By comparison, open surgery creates one long incision to expose the joint.
After giving you anesthesia and making several tiny incisions, your provider inserts a thin arthroscope into the joint. The scope has a camera that sends magnified images to a monitor.
Your provider uses the images to carefully examine the tissues, diagnose the problem, and determine the extent of your injuries. If you need surgery, they insert narrow surgical instruments through the other incisions.
Samimi Orthopedic Group can do most joint repairs using arthroscopic surgery. They may:
Since minimally invasive surgery causes less trauma to the tissues, you have less post-surgery pain, minimal scarring, and faster healing and recovery (compared to open surgery).
In most cases, you go home the same day as your procedure. Before you leave, your provider monitors your health for a time and makes sure you can walk using an assistive device.
When you leave the clinic, you have specific instructions about caring for your knee. You also receive an exercise regimen to follow to start your recovery.
Your rehabilitation begins with gentle, slow movement and gradually progresses to exercises that rebuild muscle strength and restore the full range of motion.
Your provider may recommend physical therapy to help you regain optimal knee function, especially if you have had complex knee surgery or want to return to athletic activities.
It may take several months to completely rehabilitate a reconstructed ligament or repaired meniscus; however, you should get back to your usual activities in 6-8 weeks.
To learn how knee arthroscopy can ease your pain, call Samimi Orthopedic Group or schedule an appointment online today.
