When noninvasive treatments like medication, rest, and therapy do not work, patients are advised to consider arthroscopic knee surgery in Mumbai. Fortunately, this minimally invasive surgical procedure can help make minor repairs inside the knee joint.
The surgery involves several small incisions and an arthroscope tool to view the tissues, ligaments, and surrounding structures. Whether you’ve damaged a ligament or fractured a bone, arthroscopic knee surgery can fix most knee injuries. Here’s more you should know about its success rate, risks, and alternatives.
Success Rates and Outcomes
The definition of success in arthroscopic knee surgery may vary from person to person. Some may want to restore their mobility, while others want a pain-free walk. It also varies from procedure to procedure, with most having a success rate as high as 90%.
Here’s the list of the factors that affect the arthroscopic knee surgery success rate:
- Age: The success rate for the surgery is the highest for younger patients. The rate decreases with age as older people are more prone to developing osteoarthritis and other joint diseases that can complicate surgery.
- Health Issues: Your overall health can also affect your success rate. Those with diabetes, kidney diseases, or heart issues might have a delayed recovery compared to healthy adults.
- Surgeon’s Expertise: A surgeon’s experience and skills also contribute to the surgery’s success rate. Choose an arthroscopic surgeon in Mumbai who specializes in the procedure.
The biggest perk of arthroscopic surgery is the faster recovery. You can expect recovery for meniscus repair in 4-6 weeks, while ACL reconstruction might take a little longer (around 6-9 months for complete recovery).
Risks and Complications
While it’s normal to feel some pain, stiffness, and swelling around the surgical site, complications from the surgery are quite rare. Here are some rare yet possible complications of knee arthroscopic surgery:
- Infection: Joint infection occurs only when bacteria enter the wound during surgery. The risk is extremely low (less than 1%).
- Nerve Damage: Another risk is damage to the blood vessels or nerves, which again is pretty rare. However, it’s possible that the surgeon might accidentally damage the nerve during meniscus suturing, which is why choosing a skilled doctor is important.
- Blood Clots: In patients with genetic diseases or blood disorders, there’s a risk of developing blood clots after knee arthroscopy. That said, your surgeon will monitor you closely after surgery and recommend physical activity right after the procedure to minimize the risk.
Fortunately, most complications are uncommon. To mitigate the risks, it’s advisable to choose your surgeon wisely.
Comparing Alternatives
An orthopedic doctor will try noninvasive treatment options before recommending surgery. Medications, such as NSAIDs can bring the inflammation down and help with pain management.
Physical therapy can enhance mobility, strengthen your muscles, and improve flexibility. You can also use brace and walking aids for minor injuries. If the swelling, pain, and stiffness are severe and persistent, cortocosteroid injections can be used. These are injected right into your knee joint for faster relief. If none of these work, arthroscopic surgery is the last resort.
