Risks Of Arthroscopy Surgery For Knee Arthritis

One of the most distressing facts about knee arthritis is that to date, there is a very limited range of long term, reliable and worthwhile surgical options available, and even worse, there is no signs of a cure in the near future. With that in mind then, the patient will need to carefully weigh up their options and ensure that they follow the recommendations of their physician to the absolute letter to prevent further complications. It is also important that the patient who has knee arthritis is aware of the limitations and potential risks/dangers that are associated with the surgery options.

One surgical procedure in particular, commonly known as arthroscopy surgery, is considered in more depth as follows.

What does arthroscopy surgery involve?

Arthroscopy surgery is the process whereby the surgeon will make an incision into the knee joint of the patient, and by means of a miniature camera, assess the current condition and quality of the articular cartilage of the joint. From there, the surgeon can then make a more informed decision as to whether proceeding with the surgery is indeed a sensible idea.

What are the risks of this procedure?

As with any form of invasive surgery, there is always the risk of complications arising and so the patient will need to think long and hard as to whether they are prepared to risk the potential side effects that may arise as a consequence of the surgery.

People who are diabetic or otherwise have vascular problems are at a heightened risk of developing blood clots during the procedure, and this is problematic as it will hinder the healing process, not to mention exposing the patient to the risk of developing a full blown infection.

A major limitation commonly attributed to this form of surgery is that it is only suitable for those patients who are fortunate enough only to be within the very early stages of the disease, and so people who have advanced and extensive knee arthritis are wholly unsuitable for this surgical procedure as the amount of cartilage they have, and the damage sustained to it, is too severe for such a temporary solution.