Gelenk-Klinik

Pain after arthroscopic surgery can have many causes.
First results from the surgery, a more or less marked bleeding in the joint tension which leads the joint capsule.

What is the reason for the pain?
Because different gases, liquids are not compressible, the volume of liquid lead to a stretching of the capsule, which in particular the flexion of the knee after the operation limits. It was only after absorption of intra-articular fluid was raised here in general improved flexion and decreasing symptoms of pain out. Only in rare cases, brings the exculpatory puncture of the joint permanent relief. Most of the effusions build again soon, and thus the exculpatory effect of the puncture shows only a slight, temporary effect.

What are the risks?

Moreover, since the puncture through a - albeit small - risk of infection is the aspiration of us usually avoided. Only if the clinical and sonograph examination shows a strong intra-articular effusion, should be punctured.
Another, though fortunately very rare cause of pain after surgery can be an insidious infection in the knee. This is characterized by corresponding changes in laboratory parameters (ESR, C-reactive protein) to the second most by a massive tenderness of the joint, with pain-exercise limitation and restriction of movement. To the typical clinical signs rubor (reddening), dolor (pain), calor (warmth), which show themselves in our experience, however, until later.

The cause of chronic ailments?
Persistent effusions in the stimulus as well as stress pain after arthroscopic knee surgery, are usually traced back to damaged cartilage in the joint, which were often not by the patient until the time of surgery or at least perceived of not properly assessed. In many cases, been waiting too long before surgery, so that will only operate if the patient has symptoms. The patient then connects the pain with the surgery without making herself clear that this pain would have occurred even without surgery and is usually even stronger.

For months, up to 1 ½ years after surgery, persistent problems are often a result of scarring in the field of arthroscopic approaches. Since access is invaded not only by the skin, but also by the fatty tissue located under the skin into the knee joint, and here are thickened and hardened tissue structures, which locates in particular flex the knee pain - usually under the kneecap can cause -. Since the body of this localized cell structure over time and thus converts 'soft' makes these symptoms disappear over time, mostly by himself. The conversion process will also be apparent to the patient's mind that firstly, the warmth of the skin areas is slowly back to the Second and the palpable induration adapts to the surrounding soft tissue.

The pain as the interaction
The patient usually has the desire to provide him with unexplained complaints in a causal relationship. For example, a woman who gets her gynecologist made the diagnosis of breast cancer reported, that this was impossible because she had 2 days previously initiated with the broom handle to the chest. Here, it is clear that the nodular changes in the breast must have existed before, but it was only by initiating the broomstick, the patient is encouraged to see to feel out the job. Of course, the tumor did not arise through the trauma.
Similarly, sometimes with pain in the knee after arthroscopic surgery, because the patient usually goes to the doctor only when the level of complaints of suffering such pressures have increased. First be taken more medication, often delaying the start of therapy, with the result that the cartilage damage is even more pronounced. Then in existence after the operation further complaints, the surgical procedure is often made responsible for it. The responsibility for having started too late to take the right steps, then the patient is often not accepted.