Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure that orthopaedic surgeons use to visualize and treat problems inside a joint.

During the procedure, your doctor will insert a tool called an arthroscope into your joint through several small cuts to see how much damage is in the joint. They can also repair many injuries during arthroscopy.

Arthroscopic surgery can diagnose and treat knee injuries, including:

• • torn anterior or posterior cruciate ligaments
  • torn meniscus (the cartilage between the bones in the knee)
  • patella that’s out of position
  • pieces of torn cartilage that are loose in the joint
  • removal of a Baker’s cyst
  • fractures in the knee bones
  • swollen synovium (the lining in the joint)