Q: will i ever be pain free after orthoscopic surgery due to osteoarthritis?
Although the doctor that performed the surgery is the best person to address
that question in regards to you personally, I can provide some general
information about arthroscopic surgery and osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis of the knee, by definition, involves breakdown of the
cartilage that makes up the joint surfaces in the knee. The symptoms that
people experience can vary quite a bit. Some people may have pain or swelling
with activity, while others may have occurrences of catching or locking when
moving the knee in certain positions. Depending on individual factors that are
determined with an office visit with the doctor, it may be determined that
arthroscopic surgery is the next step in treatment. When surgeons perform
arthroscopic surgery of the knee, they are able to see the extent of cartilage
damage, remove loose bodies (free-floating tissue that may be causing symptoms),
and evaluate the other structures in the knee that may be causing symptoms,
among other things.
Whether or not arthroscopic surgery will result in
pain relief depends on many factors, and depends on the findings of the
surgery. After surgery, some pain and swelling can be expected, and the doctor
will monitor recovery and discuss the findings with the patient. Since this can
vary greatly for individual patients, it is best to discuss the results with the
doctor.
Thank you for your question!
Matt
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I had orthroscopic surgery when I was 13 because my knee cap would dislocate simultaniously. The doctor removed the pieces of broken cartliage and didn't realize how bad it was until he was perfoming the surgery. He told me, I would probablly need a full knee replacement within 10 years. I am now almost 21 years old, and have knee pain every day, and can feel and hear my knee grinding together when I lift it. I'm afraid to have a full replacement in fear that I may be worse off than I am now. Should I deal with the pain for now and wait until further damage occurs, or see a surgeon about the next possible step? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. :)