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Tag: arthroscopy

  • Why Would Someone Need an Arthroscopy?

    Why Would Someone Need an Arthroscopy?

    Why someone would need an arthroscopy is because they might have conditions such as torn meniscus, bone fragments, cartilage loss, or fractures that might not have healed correctly. More specifically, it is used to treat rotator cuff injuries and torn meniscus. Additionally, it can also be used to remove loose bone fragments, inflamed synovial tissue (the lining of the joint), and cysts. Arthroscopy would be a viable solution to the torn meniscus, and Baker’s Cysts I have going on in both my left and right knees, as I am no stranger to this type of procedure.

    For example, I had a Tenex procedure, a type of arthroscopy, on my right shoulder. Tenex is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a scope guided through a small 2-3 mm incision, where ultrasound imaging is used to see where the damage is on the tendon to break down and remove any of the damaged tissue with the suction mode. Once the procedure is completed, only a small bandage is needed to cover the point of entry, with no sutures or stitches typically required for most.

    However, it is important to note that if you’ve had a fractured patella, ACL tear, or arthroscopy, they are harder to recover from than other knee surgeries or the Tenex procedure because the leg is placed in a cast for weeks, allowing scar tissue to form and muscle atrophy to occur. So, it is imperative that once the cast is removed, to engage in as much therapy as possible. It is also worth considering an arthroscopy recovery machine to help move recovery forward faster.

    Unfortunately, I will need an arthroscopy treatment on both knees. It might turn out that I do not need surgery if the arthroscopy is successful in resolving all my issues. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Arthroscopy (ahr-THROS-kuh-pee) is a procedure that uses a fiber-optic camera to diagnose and treat joint problems. A surgeon inserts a narrow tube attached to a fiber-optic video camera through a small incision — about the size of a buttonhole. The view inside the joint is transmitted to a high-definition video monitor.

    Arthroscopy allows the surgeon to see inside the joint without making a large incision. Surgeons can even repair some types of joint damage during arthroscopy, with pencil-thin surgical instruments inserted through additional small incisions,”.

    Why do people need arthroscopic surgery?

    An arthroscopy is often done to check what’s causing symptoms such as joint pain, swelling, stiffness, joints locking, moving out of position, or giving way. Ouch, I have had that happen on more than one occasion! The Cleveland Clinic defines an arthroscopic surgery, “Providers use arthroscopy to diagnose and treat a range of joint, tendon and ligament problems, such as: Knee pain, instability and other injuries, including anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and meniscal tears. Torn ligaments, cartilage and tendons,”.

    Before surgery is even an option, I must exhaust all of the options. So far, I have gone through many years of trying to decipher whether my chronic pain was a result of bone cracks, scar tissue build-up, or muscle tears. For at least a decade, I have done the following for the bone, muscle, and nerve pain I am experiencing:

    • Physical Therapy (both shoulders, back, pelvic floor and started with knees)
    • Acupuncture
    • Chiropractic
    • Tenex procedure on my left shoulder
    • Deep tissue massage
    • Dry needling

    Currently, I am dealing with multiple injuries, such as:

    • Impingement in the left shoulder
    • Scar tissue build-up and limited range of motion in my right shoulder
    • Pelvic floor muscle loss and nerve pain
    • Sciatica on the lower left side of my back
    • A torn meniscus in the left knee
    • Baker’s cyst on the back of left knee
    • A torn meniscus in the right knee
    • Baker’s cyst on the back of the right knee
    • Limited range of motion in the neck
    • Bunyon on the right foot

    While I have tried many means to address and recover, my knees have fallen to the end of the priority list. I’ve come to an impasse as the exercises I need to do for my back hurt my knees. It looks like arthroscopy will be the best route for me, but what type? I will not know until I speak to my healthcare team.

    Cleveland Clinic went on to note the following uses of arthroscopy, “Diagnose injuries: During knee arthroscopy, your healthcare provider takes a close look at any painful or swollen areas. The camera shows images of damaged soft tissues and bones. The images help your healthcare provider diagnose injuries (or confirm a diagnosis) and plan treatment.

    Repair injured soft tissues and bones: If you need surgery to repair tendons, ligaments or cartilage, your healthcare provider uses specially designed tools. The camera shows real-time images that guide your healthcare provider during the procedure. Your healthcare provider uses tiny tools to repair and reconstruct soft tissues by stitching them together. They can also suture (stitch) bones together.

    Remove damaged or inflamed tissue: Some tiny tools help your healthcare provider shave off damaged bone and cartilage or inflamed tissue (such as the synovium). They use tools to remove these tissues from your knee,”.

    How long is recovery for arthroscopic knee surgery meniscus?

    Being that I lead a busy lifestyle as a single mom of teenage young men, I will be fortunate to have their help around the house while I recover, but I am concerned about the length of time I will be required to sit still as I do not do that very well.

    I was told that I will most likely be able to return to most of my regular activities within a few weeks, although it will be several months before I will have complete use of my knee. Depending on the severity of my injuries, it may take as long as six months before my knee is strong enough for hard physical work or specific sports. I realize my softball playing days are over, but this is exciting to learn as I would like to just take a walk with my dog!

    Essentially, it’s clear that arthroscopy will be an invaluable tool for diagnosing and treating a variety of joint-related issues, such as torn meniscus, inflamed tissues, and bone fragments. Personally, my journey with knee issues and shoulder procedures has given me a firsthand appreciation for how these minimally invasive surgeries can provide relief and aid recovery.

    Why would someone need an arthroscopy?

    In conclusion, despite the inevitable recovery period, the prospect of regaining mobility and reducing pain is well worth the effort and going through the arthroscopy. If you are facing similar challenges, discussing arthroscopy with your healthcare team could be a practical next step toward better joint health. While the road to full recovery may be lengthy, having a plan and the proper support will undoubtedly make all the difference.

  • Difference Between Arthroscopy and Knee Replacement

    Difference Between Arthroscopy and Knee Replacement

    A little over five years ago, I decided to change the trajectory of my life and chose a different path to take this life journey on. It started with learning self-care and not ignoring when I felt pain, whether it was physical or psychological. When it came to the physical part, I learned that it, too, was a process and a journey to recovery.

    Since that time, I have liked to joke and say that I have been “under construction.” I usually get at least a chuckle. I have to laugh, or I would be crying because I have gone through many rounds of physical therapy, acupuncture and have had a Tenex procedure in my right shoulder. I have been dealing with chronic pain all of this time.

    Currently waiting to hear what my orthopedic says I need to do about my knees. Yes, I meant to say plural because both knees have torn meniscus. Plus, I hear a lot of cracking and popping going in my knees that gives me the heebie-jeebies!

    So, I am not sure if I will end up having both knees completely replaced or if I will try to go the arthroscopy route first. I would still need physical therapy and possibly a post-surgery arthroscopy recovery machine, but maybe return to a better normal than it’s been for years. Then, hopefully, I can put off total replacement for at least another five to ten years.

    In response to how arthroscopy helps a torn meniscus, The Mayo Clinic says, “In some cases, your doctor might use an instrument known as an arthroscope to examine the inside of your knee. The arthroscope is inserted through a tiny incision near your knee.

    The device contains a light and a small camera, which transmits an enlarged image of the inside of your knee onto a monitor. If necessary, surgical instruments can be inserted through the arthroscope or through additional small incisions in your knee to trim or repair the tear,”.

    The conclusion to a study by The National Institute of Health says this about the difference between arthroscopy and knee replacement, “Our overview of treatment for meniscal tear shows some promising step forward in the understanding of the important role of the meniscus that have led to a move toward meniscal preservation. Therapies that successfully repair or replace the meniscus are therefore likely to prevent or delay osteoarthritis progression.

    Meniscal repair, whenever possible, must be the preferred option for patients with a meniscal lesion. The biomechanical properties of the native meniscus are not copied entirely by the scaffolds that exist today. Congruence, fixation, biocompatibility and potential infection will always remain as limitations for the users of allografts.

    As research in biological augmentation and tissue engineering continues to develop, we expect that conservative treatments and meniscal replacement will be more widely used in younger patients in the future,”.

    Okay, now I have more to think about.

    Will a knee replacement help a torn meniscus?

    I was told that if I needed knee replacement surgery, it meant that my knee pain was likely to be persistent, that it would disrupt my sleep, interfere with my daily activities, and the pain wouldn’t respond to over-the-counter pain medications. They said that in order to relieve my constant pain, my doctor would probably recommend knee replacement surgery.

    However, I must remember that the outcome of what my professional healthcare team decides is not under my complete control. Even though I will consult with various doctors and close friends who have undergone this type of situation before making my final decision, I do have a great team, and I completely trust their professional opinions.

    To give you an idea of what someone with a torn meniscus feels, The University of Michigan Medicine explains it this way, “When cartilage inside the knee joint starts to break down, a person may begin to experience pain.

    ‘If you were to look inside a healthy knee joint you’d see a thick cushioning of cartilage that covers and protects the ends of your bones, as well as another type of cartilage, called the meniscus, that acts like a shock absorber between the bones,’ says Andrew Urquhart, M.D., a professor of orthopaedic surgery at Michigan Medicine’s Comprehensive Musculoskeletal Center,”.

    That’s exactly it – I have been telling people that it feels like I do not have any shocks! My concern, though, is that recovery time is warranted as I work full time, am a single mom of two teenage dogs, and am a sole homeowner (that’s also been under construction for the last two years).

    How painful is a total knee replacement?

    From what I have heard, it is painful after surgery, but what surgery isn’t? And for that matter, what injury isn’t painful to continue to feel? I’m looking forward to enjoying a somewhat pain-free lifestyle again. But inevitably, the pain will be there, especially in the first few weeks of recovery from the surgery itself, as well as pain as the body begins to heal.

    “Most patients — about 80 to 85% — feel their knee functions better than before they had surgery. These patients can get back to low-impact physical activity, such as walking, hiking, biking, playing golf or tennis and other light recreational activities. We discourage high-impact activities, such as basketball and running, as these can reinjure the knee,”. – University of Michigan Medicine

    Beyond grateful to hear that after knee surgery, I will be able to do low-impact activities again, like taking my dog for a walk, riding my bike on a flat, easy trail, or going on a hike with my sons. That gives me a great sense of hope and makes me look forward to my future. I seriously thought that I was going to be stuck with a glum life, benched indefinity – and for an active person like myself, it is basically a death sentence.

    Okay, so if my orthopedics suggest surgery, I think I am going to go for it because getting back to living a more physically active life is something that I genuinely miss and deeply need in my life.

    Difference between arthroscopy and knee replacement

    Both arthroscopy and knee replacement surgeries offer distinct pathways toward relief from chronic knee pain, but the choice largely depends on the severity of the condition and long-term goals.

    Consulting with a healthcare team is crucial to making an informed decision tailored to individual health needs. Regardless of the path chosen, both surgeries aim to improve the quality of life and restore a degree of normalcy.