5 Benefits of Minimally Invasive Knee Surgery

If you’re facing knee surgery because medications and other nonsurgical therapies haven’t helped, you need to understand your options. With minimally invasive knee surgery, we use special surgical tools and small incisions rather than large, open cuts. 

In some cases, we may use a tiny camera to send images to a large monitor, giving the surgeon an excellent view of the treatment area — without the need for big incisions. These special techniques offer important benefits to patients.

At his private practice in Houston, Texas, board-certified orthopedic surgeon Kevin Park, MD, uses minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat different knee conditions, including:

• ACL tears and repairs
• Meniscus tears
• Inflamed joint lining
• Arthritis
• Removal of loose pieces of bone or cartilage 

Take a moment to learn about the top five advantages of minimally invasive knee surgery and how it can help you. 

Less tissue trauma and damage

Traditional surgical methods using open surgery means large cuts through your skin and muscles, and holding the tissues back with clamps so the surgeon can access the joint. This damages the tissue and can cause trauma to the surrounding muscles.

During minimally invasive knee surgery, on the other hand, Dr. Park uses special surgical tools designed for use through small incisions. As such, one of the biggest benefits minimally invasive knee surgery provides is less damage and trauma to the tissues surrounding the joint

Fewer risks of complications

All surgeries carry some risk. But your risks are minimized when we perform the procedure using minimally invasive surgical techniques.

This type of surgery requires only very small incisions for the camera and surgical tools. As a result, you experience less bleeding and a lower risk of infection. 

And since the overall surgery time is typically shorter compared to open surgery, your risk of complications from anesthesia is also reduced.

Outpatient or shorter hospital stay

Depending on the reasons for your surgery, we may perform your minimally invasive knee procedure as an outpatient procedure. This means returning home a few hours after your surgery instead of days later. 

And if your surgery does require a hospital stay, you may be able to return home sooner with minimally invasive knee surgery. 

Less scarring

Since minimally invasive knee surgery requires smaller incisions, you have less scarring. This is a real advantage, since scar tissue around your knee joints can be problematic, affecting your range of motion.

You can minimize any scarring you do experience by following all post-op instructions, keeping your incision sites clean and moist, and protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

Faster recovery with less pain

When your knees are injured or if you have chronic pain, your quality of life is diminished. The last thing you want is to miss out on even more of your favorite activities or important life events while you recover from surgery. 

With minimally invasive knee surgery, you don’t have to worry. Because of the smaller incisions and less trauma to the surrounding tissues, your body doesn’t have as much tissue to heal. This means it focuses healing energy on the knee instead of other areas, so you experience less pain and a faster recovery.

Do you have more questions about the benefits of minimally invasive knee surgery? Call us for an appointment with Dr. Park at our Houston, Texas, office, or book online.