Knee Overview
Anatomy of the Knee
Arthroscopy utilizes cutting-edge imaging technology to inspect and operate on joint injuries through tiny openings. The term arthroscopy stems from the Greek words “arthro” meaning “joint” and “scope” meaning ‘to look at’. During this procedure, doctors insert a small fiber-optic camera, called an arthroscope, through a minor incision to peer inside the damaged knee area. Additional small cuts allow insertion of miniature tools to clean or repair defects all visualized on a screen.
Unlike traditional open surgery requiring massive gashes, arthroscopy only uses pea-sized cuts. Patients therefore experience less trauma, faster healing with little scarring, reduced pain and rapid resumption of mobility. Instead of an extensive hospital stay, most patients can prudently undergo knee arthroscopy on an outpatient basis and be back resting at home that same day while kicking off a swift recovery.
Complex ACL reconstruction surgery involves rebuilding one or more torn knee ligaments, which are bands of tissue connecting bones and controlling joint flexibility. The four main ligaments around the knee are the anterior cruciate (ACL), posterior cruciate (PCL), medial collateral (MCL) and lateral collateral (LCL). Because ligaments enable stability for motion, extreme sports mishaps or high-impact accidents can overstretch these tissues past their breaking point. Specifically, the ACL helps pivot and cut while slowing knee hyperextension, so ACL tears are unfortunately common knee injuries, especially for athletes. When multiple ligaments require reconstruction after damage, the intricacy and demands of surgical correction ratchet up, dubbed complex ACL repair. The good news is that thanks to today’s surgical advancements, even the most complex multi-ligament knee repairs can successfully get damaged joints back to full function.
Torn meniscal cartilage represents a widespread knee injury. The meniscus refers to a pair of c-shaped shock-absorbing pads cushioning the shin and thigh bones within each knee joint. One resides along the inner knee aspect (medial meniscus) and the other on the outer side (lateral meniscus). Together, these flexible cartilage pieces prevent direct bone-on-bone grinding while enabling smooth joint bending. However, sudden twisting motions can overextend the meniscus past its tensile limits, resulting in torn tissue. As common stabilizers vulnerable to tears from excessive knee stress, damaged menisci warrant prompt surgical repair to avoid cartilage degradation or knee arthritis over time. Knee scope procedures successfully trim or stitch the majority of torn menisci with minimal downtime.
Articular cartilage refers to the smooth, white tissue covering the ends of bones where they meet to create joints. This elastic substance acts as natural padding between bones, allowing them to slide past one another smoothly when a joint moves. Without healthy cartilage cushioning, movement would cause painful bone-on-bone grinding. Knee cartilage specifically protects the terminal surfaces of the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia) as they articulate to enable flexible knee bending. As the sturdy yet lubricated buffer material between these bones’ connecting surfaces, cartilage facilitates frictionless joint flexing and weight distribution across the knee. Gradual cartilage thinning is normal with age, but injuries can damage this protective tissue as well, potentially developing into chronic conditions like osteoarthritis over time without proper care.
Knee Pre-Operative Videos
Preoperative Knee Arthroscopy
Preoperative Knee ACL
Links To Other Knee Topics
Dr. Trenhaile’s goal is to provide you with the highest quality specialty orthopedic care available. He is absolutely committed to utilizing the most advanced standards and technologies to help you achieve the best outcome possible.
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346 Roxbury Road
Rockford, IL 61107
Tel: 815-398-9491