Knee arthroscopy surgery at Spire Methley Park Hospital

At Spire Methley Park, we provide high-quality aftercare that’s personalised to you for as long as you need it. We also offer fast diagnosis and treatment without the wait in our clean, modern facilities.

If you need treatment, we can offer you a choice of expert orthopaedic surgeons who are committed to providing high-quality treatments and care that's personalised to you.

At Spire Methley Park, we have wide experience of performing knee arthroscopy in our facilities, which includes two operating theatres with laminar flow. These theatres regulate air flow to reduce the risk of infection.

The procedures offered to you will depend on your symptoms or condition. Some of our consultants perform microfracture – where they make small holes in your bones to stimulate cartilage growth.

Getting here

We're on Methley Lane (the A639) - approximately 1.5 miles from junction 30 of the M62. The hospital is well served by rail stations with Castleford station three miles away, Wakefield seven miles away and Leeds station 10 miles away. We have free on-site parking for you and your visitors.

Your consultations

All your consultations will take place in one of our 10 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 about what will happen during the procedure and the risks and benefits of surgery
• 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

Prior to coming in for surgery, you'll be required to attend the hospital for a pre-operative assessment. This will involve undergoing various pre-procedure checks, including blood pressure and heart rate. Before your procedure, you’ll meet your orthopaedic surgeon again and your anaesthetist. Depending on what you’ve agreed upon with your consultant, you’ll either have:

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

If you’ve come with a friend or family member, they’re welcome to wait in your private room while you have your operation.

Your procedure

• Your surgeon will make two or more small incisions into your knee then pass the arthroscope (a thin, flexible, telescopic instrument with a light and a tiny video camera on the end) into your knee joint to view it
• Any damage to cartilage or ligaments will then be repaired, loose bone fragments or scar tissue removed or tissue samples collected if there’s inflammation

It’s common to experience some pain or discomfort, but rest assured that we have a dedicated healthcare team who’ll be able to provide pain relief medication and ensure you’re as comfortable as possible. You shouldn't feel as much pain after an arthroscopy than with traditional surgery, and how long this lasts depends on:

• Your condition or injury
• What treatment (if any) you had
• If you have an ongoing knee disease or injury needing further treatment

After your surgery, your consultant will discuss how your investigation/treatment went, and any future procedures you may benefit from. Typically, you’ll be able to go home later the same day or the day after your knee arthroscopy.

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