When Would I Need a Knee Scope?

Your knees are basically as helpful as they are complex. The joints you use for everything from getting dressed each day to sitting and walking contain many components. All of that makes your knees particularly vulnerable to a range of injuries.

If you’re among the up to one in four Americans who experiences chronic knee pain, a knee scope may be in your future. This relatively gentle procedure can help get to the bottom of and treat common knee conditions, making way for restored comfort.

Our expert team at Northland Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri, uses knee arthroscopy (another term for “scope”) to diagnose and treat a variety of common and painful problems.

Knee scope basics

A knee scope is a minimally invasive procedure we use to evaluate, diagnose, and treat knee conditions. During the procedure, we insert a tube-shaped camera into the affected knee through a tiny incision. That camera, also called an arthroscope, then projects images of your knee’s insides onto a screen.

Unlike other, more invasive knee procedures, a knee scope allows your treatment team to get a great deal of information – or even treat your knee – without large incisions or damage to surrounding tissue. That means no hospital stay, a faster recovery time, and fewer risks that come along with surgery, like infection and scarring.

The cuts used during your knee scope are so small, in fact, that they usually only require a couple of stitches afterward. And the whole procedure takes place in our office. Most people can return home within two hours.

Reasons you might need a knee scope

We may recommend a knee scope for a range of reasons, such as to diagnose, get a better look at, or treat your:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear
• Damaged articular cartilage
• Inflamed joint lining (synovium)
• Kneecap (patella) problems
• Knee infection (sepsis)
• Loose fragments of bone or cartilage 
• Meniscus tear

If you’re experiencing ongoing or severe knee pain with no obvious cause, a knee scope can help us determine the underlying issue. 

A knee scope can also help if another test didn’t provide enough information, such as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Or if you aren’t able to safely have an MRI scan, a knee scope can provide a strong alternative.

To learn more about knee scope procedures or to get the care you need, call Northland Orthopedic & Sports Medicine or request a virtual appointment through our website today.