Advanced Surgery
Arthroscopic (Keyhole) Surgery in Surat
Knee and shoulder arthroscopy at Vedaant Orthopaedic Center, Surat — diagnosing and treating problems inside a joint through incisions a few millimetres long.
In short: Arthroscopy uses a camera and fine instruments passed through small incisions to see and treat the inside of a joint. It is used for meniscal tears, ligament reconstruction, loose fragments, rotator cuff repair and inflamed joint lining. It cannot restore cartilage that has already worn away.
What arthroscopy is
A camera roughly the width of a pencil is introduced into the joint through one small incision, and instruments through one or two others. The joint is filled with fluid to open it up, and the surgeon works from a magnified view on a monitor.
The advantage is not just cosmetic. Open surgery on a joint means cutting through the capsule and displacing structures to see inside, and much of the post-operative pain and stiffness comes from that access rather than from the procedure itself. Arthroscopy largely avoids it, which is why recovery is quicker and swelling less.
What it treats well
- Meniscal tears — repaired where the tear is in the blood-supplied zone, trimmed where it is not.
- ACL reconstruction — graft tunnels are drilled and the graft passed arthroscopically.
- Loose bodies — fragments of bone or cartilage floating in the joint and causing locking.
- Rotator cuff repair — torn shoulder tendons reattached to bone with anchors.
- Shoulder impingement — smoothing a bony spur that is catching on the tendon.
- Shoulder instability — repairing the labrum after recurrent dislocation.
- Inflamed synovium — removing thickened joint lining in inflammatory conditions.
What it does not treat
Arthroscopy cannot regrow cartilage. In a knee where the joint surface is already worn through, washing the joint out and smoothing rough edges produces limited and short-lived benefit, and good evidence has consistently shown this.
This matters because arthroscopy is a low-risk, appealing-sounding operation, and it is easy to offer to a patient who wants something done. Offering it for established arthritis raises hopes it cannot meet and delays a decision that will eventually have to be made anyway. Where the cartilage is gone, the honest options are non-surgical management or joint replacement.
What happens on the day
- Admission, usually as a day case, with fasting beforehand
- Anaesthesia — general, spinal or regional block depending on the joint and the procedure
- Two or three small incisions made around the joint
- Camera inserted; the whole joint inspected systematically before anything is treated
- The problem addressed with fine instruments
- Fluid drained, incisions closed with a stitch or adhesive strips, dressing applied
Most arthroscopies take under an hour, and most patients go home the same day.
Book an appointment
Knee locking or catching? Find out what is inside the joint.
Speak to the clinic directly. Open Monday to Saturday, and Sunday mornings.
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Recovery
Recovery depends far more on what was done inside the joint than on the arthroscopy itself. A simple trimming procedure and a ligament reconstruction are the same operation from the outside and entirely different afterwards.
| Procedure | Weight-bearing | Return to activity |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic arthroscopy | Immediate | Days |
| Meniscal trimming | Immediate | 6–8 weeks to sport |
| Meniscal repair | Protected, often braced | 4–6 months to sport |
| ACL reconstruction | Usually early with crutches | 9–12 months to pivoting sport |
| Rotator cuff repair | Sling several weeks | 6–12 months for full strength |
Small incisions do not mean a small operation. What was repaired inside determines the timeline.
Risks
- Swelling and stiffness, usually settling over the first weeks.
- Infection, uncommon with keyhole technique but possible in any joint surgery.
- Blood clots, reduced by early mobilisation.
- Persistent symptoms where the underlying problem was degenerative rather than mechanical.
- Numbness near a portal site from a small skin nerve, usually temporary.
Frequently asked questions
Is arthroscopy a major operation?
The access is minor; the procedure inside may not be. A diagnostic look and an ACL reconstruction both involve the same small incisions but very different recoveries.
Will arthroscopy fix my arthritis?
No. It cannot restore worn cartilage. It has a role in an arthritic joint only where there is a genuine mechanical problem such as a locking fragment.
Can I go home the same day?
Most arthroscopies are day-case procedures. You will need someone to take you home and stay with you for the first night after anaesthesia.
How soon can I walk?
After most knee arthroscopies, straight away, often with crutches for a few days. After a meniscal repair or ligament reconstruction, weight-bearing may be restricted — you will be told specifically.
Will I have large scars?
No. Typically two or three incisions of a few millimetres each, which usually fade to become barely noticeable.
Do I need an MRI before arthroscopy?
Usually yes, to confirm the diagnosis and plan the procedure. MRI is interpreted alongside examination, because scans often show findings that are not causing symptoms.
Related treatments
Visit the clinic
Vedaant Orthopaedic CenterUG/9B Galloping Corridor, GD Goenka School Road
(Canal Road – VIP Road)
Surat, Gujarat 395007
| Monday | 10:00 am – 8:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 10:00 am – 8:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 10:00 am – 8:00 pm |
| Thursday | 10:00 am – 8:00 pm |
| Friday | 10:00 am – 8:00 pm |
| Saturday | 10:00 am – 8:00 pm |
| Sunday | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm |
Medically reviewed by Dr Dev Padia, MS Ortho (USA)
Orthopaedic & Joint Replacement Surgeon, Vedaant Orthopaedic Center, Surat.
Last reviewed:
The information on this website is for general guidance and does not replace a personal medical consultation. Please consult a qualified doctor about your own symptoms.