Knee arthroscopy surgery at Spire Harpenden Hospital

At Spire Harpenden Hospital, we have many dedicated orthopaedic surgeons who specialise in diagnosing and treating conditions related to bones and muscles.

We offer access to tests, scans and treatment without the wait and our nurses and physiotherapists provide expert aftercare to help your recovery.

At Spire Harpenden Hospital, we have wide experience of performing knee arthroscopy in our high-quality facilities. The procedures offered to you will depend on your symptoms or condition. Some of our consultants perform microfracture – a technique where they make small holes in your bones to stimulate cartilage growth.

We also have four laminar flow operating theatres which regulate air flow to minimise the risk of infection.

Getting here

We have excellent road links to the M1 and A1(M) and are five minutes from Harpenden train station. We have free parking on-site for you and your visitors.

Your consultations

All your consultations will take place in one of our 27 accessible private rooms, so don’t worry if you have difficulty walking.

During your consultations, we'll:

• Ask about your medical history
• Say whether you need an X-ray, and/or an MRI or CT scan so we can examine your knee in more detail – again, all scanning rooms are on the ground floor so they're easily accessible
• Explain what will happen during the procedure
• Tell you about your different anaesthetic options, and help you choose the right one for you
• Answer all your questions about your surgery

Once you and your consultant have agreed to go ahead with your knee arthroscopy, your consultant and your physiotherapist will explain your recovery plan.

On the day of your knee arthroscopy, you’ll meet your orthopaedic consultant again and your anaesthetist. If you’ve come with a friend or family member, they’re welcome to wait in your room while you have your operation.

Your anaesthetist or consultant will give you one of the following:

• A general anaesthetic, when you’re asleep
• An epidural (spinal) anaesthetic, when you can’t feel anything below your waist
• A local anaesthetic so you can’t feel your knee

Once ready, your consultant will make tiny incisions and pass a small telescopic instrument into your knee. This is called an arthroscope and has a camera so your consultant can see inside your knee to do any of the following:

• Investigate your knee to find a cause of your pain or other symptoms
• Repair damage to soft tissues
• Remove loose bone fragments or scar tissue
• Take tissue samples if there’s inflammation

Exactly what happens during your procedure will depend on your symptoms or condition. Your consultant will let you know if they recommend further treatment following an investigative knee arthroscopy.

After your operation, you may go home on the same day or the following day, depending on the time of your surgery and whether you had any treatment. Your consultant may also explain to you what’s been found and whether they recommend further treatment.

Although there’s less pain after an arthroscopy than with traditional surgery, you’re likely to feel discomfort once the anaesthetic wears off. How long this lasts will depend on:

• The cause of your knee pain
• Whether you had any treatment during the procedure
• If you have an ongoing knee disease or injury that needs further treatment
• Your personal pain threshold

But don’t worry, you’ll be given painkillers to help you manage over the following days. Your physiotherapist will also give you an exercise plan to help you get active again, plus a guide to how long your recovery will take.

Although everybody’s different and you should always follow your consultant’s advice, here’s a typical recovery timeline for knee arthroscopy: