Knee Surgery
Your knee is the largest joint in your body and commonly suffers injuries and disease that cause you severe pain and can become immobilising. Knee surgeries are operations designed to either repair an injury or to treat a condition such as osteoarthritis. The aim of knee surgery is to reduce your pain and improve the quality of your life.
Here at Berkshire Independent Hospital, our experienced and leading consultant knee surgeons offer you the very best care to treat all knee conditions with the aim of getting you back to full mobility smoothly and without waiting. They have access to a full range of diagnostic equipment and work in a multidisciplinary team to offer a full complement of knee procedures including knee arthroscopy, ACL reconstruction and knee replacement surgery. Your orthopaedic consultant will guide you through the process and procedures so you feel comfortable, confident and fully informed at all times.
The range of knee surgeries we offer
Knee arthroscopy
Knee arthroscopy, also known as keyhole surgery, allows your surgeon to see inside your knee joint and to treat any problems as required. It’s a very safe and straightforward procedure, commonly performed under general anaesthetic.
A camera and light source are passed into the knee joint to provide your operating knee surgeon with an excellent view of the inside of the knee. Medical instruments may also be inserted into the knee joint to allow your surgeon to repair damaged cartilage, tendons and ligaments and to remove inflamed tissue and small sections of bone and cartilage that have broken off and are loose within the joint.
Meniscal tear
Meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries. A meniscal tear is a tear in one of your shock absorbers called a meniscus that are located between the thighbone and shinbone in your knee joint.
A meniscal tear is caused by any activity that causes you to forcefully twist or rotate your knee, especially when putting the pressure of your full weight on it. Athletes, particularly those who play contact sports and people with degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis are at risk of meniscus tears.
Treatment will depend on the type of tear you have, its size, and location. Both non-surgical and surgical treatment options are available.
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction
Your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a strong ligament that runs diagonally through your knee joining the thighbone to the shinbone. It is one of the most commonly injured ligaments. An ACL injury is often caused when you stop suddenly and change direction, if you land incorrectly from a jump or if you have a collision, such as during a football tackle. It is often thought of as a sporting injury as the ACL is commonly torn whilst taking part in sporting activities.
ACL reconstruction or knee ligament reconstruction is performed to improve the stability and function of your knee joint. It involves replacing the torn ACL with a graft, often from a tendon in another part of your knee or sometimes from a donor. Your knee surgeon will discuss your treatment options in detail with you. The decision to have ACL reconstructive surgery will depend on how damaged your ACL is, if you want to return to playing sport and its impact on the quality of your life.
Knee replacement surgery
A knee replacement or knee arthroplasty is a procedure to remove your damaged knee joint and replace it with an artificial one made out of metal, plastic or ceramic. Your orthopaedic surgeon may recommend a knee replacement if your joint is painful and has been damaged or worn away. The most common reason for this is osteoarthritis.
Depending on the condition of your knee you may need a total knee replacement (TKR where both sides of your knee joint are replaced) or a partial knee replacement (PKR where only one side of your joint is replaced)
After your knee replacement surgery your knee should be much less painful and the joint should move more smoothly.
