Knee arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical technique that allows the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the knee joint through small skin incisions, without the need for open surgical access.
The surgeon inserts a thin arthroscope with a small camera into the joint cavity, which provides a magnified image of the inside of the joint on a monitor, while additional small incisions allow the insertion of specialized instruments for performing the therapeutic procedure.
This technique is frequently used for the treatment of meniscal tears, cruciate ligament injuries, detached fragments of articular cartilage, as well as for the removal of inflammatory tissue or the extraction of loose intra-articular bodies.
The main advantages of arthroscopy compared with open surgery include reduced postoperative tissue damage, limited pain, lower risk of complications and infections, as well as faster recovery and return to daily activities.
After the procedure, the patient follows an individualized rehabilitation program, which initially includes control of swelling and pain, followed by exercises to restore range of motion and progressively strengthening exercises for the muscles surrounding the knee, with the goal of fully restoring joint function and stability.