Minimally Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment
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Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure used to visualise and treat problems inside the knee joint without the need for a large incision. It's also known as 'keyhole surgery'—performed through 2-3 small incisions, each a few millimetres long, through which the surgeon inserts a miniature video camera and special instruments.
Images from inside the joint are transmitted in real-time to a screen, allowing for both precise diagnosis and effective treatment of injuries—all in the same surgical session.
The procedure lasts between 20 minutes and over an hour, depending on the complexity of the discovered lesions and the required manoeuvres. In most cases, the patient goes home the same day.
Arthroscopy is recommended when the clinical examination and investigations (MRI, X-ray) indicate a problem inside the knee that can be resolved with this method.
The most common indications are:
Tears that cause pain, joint locking, or the sensation that the knee is 'giving way'. Depending on the type of tear, the meniscus can be repaired or partially removed. Partial meniscectomy remains one of the most common arthroscopic procedures worldwide.
Fragments of cartilage or bone floating in the joint, causing locking, sharp pain, and episodes of the knee 'catching'.
Evaluation and, in some cases, reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is frequently injured in sports accidents.
Inflammation of the synovial membrane, which can be evaluated and treated arthroscopically (biopsy, synovectomy).
Removal of debris and inflammatory fluid from the joint, useful in certain clinical contexts.
This is just as important to understand: arthroscopy does not cure osteoarthritis. If the joint is severely affected by osteoarthritis (stage III-IV), with destroyed cartilage and direct bone-on-bone contact, arthroscopy can, at best, temporarily relieve some mechanical symptoms (locking, sharp pain), but it does not address the underlying cause.
In cases of advanced osteoarthritis, the definitive solution remains knee replacement. We always discuss this openly before surgery, so that every patient has realistic expectations.
Also, arthroscopy is not recommended as a routine procedure for 'cleaning out' an osteoarthritic knee—studies have shown that in the absence of a specific mechanical injury (torn meniscus, loose bodies), the benefit is limited.
Compared to open surgeries, arthroscopy offers significant advantages:
Reduced postoperative pain — incisions of a few millimetres versus 10-15 cm incisions
Considerably faster recovery — walking resumes the same day, and returning to normal activities takes weeks, not months
Lower risk of infection — minimal tissue trauma
Almost invisible scars — much better cosmetic appearance
Same-day discharge — no need for prolonged hospitalisation
Precise diagnosis — the video camera provides superior images to any imaging investigation
Sometimes, investigations (MRI, X-ray) cannot accurately identify the cause of pain. Diagnostic arthroscopy allows the surgeon to directly view all knee structures—cartilage, meniscus, ligaments, synovium—and identify problems that other investigations might miss.
Most of the time, if a treatable lesion is discovered, it is addressed in the same surgical session—moving from diagnosis to treatment without a second intervention.
Dacă ai dureri cronice și te gândești la operație, prima consultație nu te obligă la nimic. Aducem împreună radiografiile tale, examenul clinic și opțiunile non-chirurgicale și chirurgicale. Decizia rămâne a ta.
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30 de minute, evaluare clinică, plan personalizat.
I have created a complete guide for patients undergoing knee arthroscopy. The brochure covers everything you need to know—from preoperative preparation to recovery exercises.
📄 Download the complete guide: Knee Arthroscopy — everything you need to know (PDF)