Who are candidates for Knee Repair Surgery (Arthroscopic ACL Meniscal Repair)?
Arthroscopic surgery is the most common knee surgery performed in the U.S. and is appropriate for patients of essentially all ages depending on their knee problems. Arthroscopic knee surgery is frequently done for injuries such as meniscus tears, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, damaged knee cartilage, knee infection, and knee inflammation. Occasionally, knee arthroscopy will be performed even if the exact cause of knee pain is unknown in order to confirm the diagnosis and then do the repair (usually at the same time). Most knee arthroscopies are done under general anesthesia, but it is possible to use other types of anesthesia including epidural, spinal, or rarely, local anesthesia. The actual surgery time varies widely, from 10 minutes to three hours depending on how extensive the repair. Most knee arthroscopies are done as day surgery meaning you come in the morning of surgery and go home the same day.
