Sunshine Coast Orthopaedic Group

Procedure · Knee · Keyhole surgery

Knee arthroscopy.

Keyhole surgery inside the knee. It has a clear role in a few situations and no useful role in arthritis, which is the opposite of what most people expect. Not performed in this practice.

Call (07) 5493 8038 How it is performed
Reviewed by Professor Daevyd Rodda Orthopaedic Surgeon · MBBS, Dip. Surg Anat, FRACS, FAOrthA Last reviewed: 21 August 2026
What it is
Keyhole surgery through two small incisions
Anaesthetic
General, usually day case
Clear indication
Locked knee, traumatic tear in a younger knee
No benefit shown
Degenerative knee disease
Recovery
Days to weeks, depending on what was done
In this practice
Not performed; referred to a knee arthroscopist

What it is.

Arthroscopy means looking inside a joint with a camera. Two small incisions, a camera through one and instruments through the other, usually as a day case under general anaesthetic.

It is one of the most commonly performed orthopaedic operations in the world, and also one of the most studied, because a large proportion of those operations turned out not to work.

Where it genuinely helps

  • A locked knee. Where a displaced fragment of meniscus physically blocks the knee from straightening. This is a mechanical problem with a mechanical solution and it warrants prompt surgery.
  • A traumatic meniscal tear in a younger knee. Where there was a real injury, the cartilage is otherwise healthy, and the tear is in the outer, better-vascularised portion, repair preserves the meniscus and protects the joint.
  • Loose bodies. Fragments of bone or cartilage floating in the joint and catching.
  • Selected cartilage procedures and some ligament work.
  • Suspected infection, where washout and sampling are needed urgently.

Where it does not help

Arthroscopy for degenerative knee disease, including where an MRI reports a degenerate meniscal tear, has been tested about as thoroughly as anything in surgery.

Randomised controlled trials have compared it against structured exercise, and against placebo surgery in which an arthroscopy was performed and nothing resected. Systematic reviews pool those results consistently: no meaningful benefit. Guideline bodies now recommend against it for this indication.

This matters because the pattern is so common. A person in their fifties or sixties has knee pain, an MRI is ordered, the MRI reports a meniscal tear because almost every knee of that age has one, and the tear is then treated as the cause. It usually is not. It is part of the arthritis.

How it is performed.

Professor Rodda does not perform knee arthroscopy. This practice is limited to hip and knee replacement, and this page exists because it is one of the questions asked most often in the rooms.

Where arthroscopy is the right operation for you, you will be told that plainly and referred to a knee surgeon who does arthroscopic and sports knee work, within Sunshine Coast Orthopaedic Group or elsewhere. Some of those decisions are time-sensitive, particularly meniscal repair in a younger knee, so the referral is made promptly rather than after a period of watching.

What the operation involves, if you have one

  • Day case, general anaesthetic, two small incisions either side of the patellar tendon.
  • The joint is inspected systematically before anything is done.
  • Findings determine the procedure: repair where the tear is repairable, trim where it is not, remove loose bodies, address cartilage where appropriate.
  • Closure with a suture or steri-strips, and a bandage.

Recovery timeline.

Depends entirely on what was done inside the joint, and the range is wide.

  • Trimming a meniscus or removing a loose body. Weight bearing immediately, back to desk work within about a week, most activity by four to six weeks.
  • Repairing a meniscus. Considerably longer, because the repair has to heal. Often restricted weight bearing and limited flexion for six weeks, and no pivoting sport for four to six months.

Those are very different operations with the same name, which is worth clarifying before you agree to one.

Outcomes.

For the clear indications, outcomes are good and often immediate. Unlocking a knee produces relief the same day.

For degenerative disease, the evidence is that outcomes are no better than exercise therapy or placebo surgery, and the procedure carries the usual surgical risks: infection, clot, anaesthetic complications, and a period of swelling. There is also evidence that arthroscopy in an arthritic joint is associated with earlier progression to joint replacement rather than delaying it.

If arthroscopy has been suggested for your arthritic knee, it is entirely reasonable to ask what specifically is expected to improve, and to seek a second opinion.

Rehabilitation.

Set by the surgeon performing the procedure and varies enormously between a meniscal trim and a meniscal repair. Where arthritis is the underlying problem, the rehabilitation that helps is the same programme that helps arthritis generally: see what to try before knee surgery.

Questions worth asking at your consultation.

Every one of these is a fair question and none of them should be awkward to ask. Print them or bring them on your phone.

  • Am I a good candidate for knee arthroscopy, and what would make me a poor one?
  • What are the alternatives, including doing nothing for now?
  • How many of these do you perform in a year?
  • What does the Australian registry say about the implant you would use for someone my age?
  • What does a realistic result look like for me specifically, and what will I still not be able to do?
  • What is your plan if it does not go well?

Frequently asked questions.

Does Professor Rodda perform knee arthroscopy?

No. This practice is focused on hip and knee replacement. Where arthroscopy is the right operation you will be referred to a knee surgeon who performs arthroscopic and sports knee work. Some of those referrals are time-sensitive and are made promptly.

My MRI shows a meniscal tear. Should I have it cleaned out?

Usually not, if you are middle-aged or older and the tear is degenerate. Randomised trials, including against placebo surgery, show no meaningful benefit from arthroscopy for degenerative knee disease. Surgery retains a clear role for traumatic tears in younger knees and for a genuinely locked knee.

What counts as a locked knee?

A knee that physically will not straighten because something is caught in the joint. That is different from a knee that is stiff or painful to straighten. True locking warrants prompt assessment.

Will arthroscopy delay my knee replacement?

There is evidence it does the opposite. Arthroscopy in an arthritic knee is associated with earlier progression to joint replacement rather than deferring it.

Is a meniscal trim the same as a meniscal repair?

No, and the recovery is very different. A trim removes torn tissue and allows weight bearing straight away. A repair stitches the tear and has to heal, which usually means restricted weight bearing and limited bending for six weeks and no pivoting sport for months.

References.

  1. Thorlund JB, Juhl CB, Roos EM, Lohmander LS. Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative knee: systematic review and meta-analysis of benefits and harms. BMJ. 2015;350:h2747.
  2. Sihvonen R, Paavola M, Malmivaara A, et al. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy versus sham surgery for a degenerative meniscal tear. N Engl J Med. 2013;369(26):2515-2524.
  3. Siemieniuk RAC, Harris IA, Agoritsas T, et al. Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative knee arthritis and meniscal tears: a clinical practice guideline. BMJ. 2017;357:j1982.

This page provides general information about a medical condition and a surgical procedure. It is not individual medical advice and does not replace consultation with a qualified practitioner. Outcomes vary between individuals and all surgery carries risk. A referral is needed for a consultation with Professor Daevyd Rodda; without one, you can start with the practice nurse practitioner, who can provide it.