Osteoarthritis and Arthroscopy
If you suffer complications after undergoing an arthroscopy for osteoarthritis, have you been the victim of medical negligence? Please get in touch with us to find out. We are a specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers and offer everyone an initial free enquiry.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a type of joint disease. It can affect any joint, although the knee is commonly affected. The rest of this article will focus upon osteoarthritis in the knee.
Osteoarthritis is when the cartilage surrounding knee joint degenerates due to wear and tear. It is a problem normally associated with the ageing process, when the knee becomes worn down due to constantly carrying the body's weight. Other reasons why osteoarthritis might arise include joint disease, traumatic injury and knee operations.
Someone with osteoarthritis will find that their knee is very painful, perhaps so much so that walking is difficult. Fluid will build up around the knee, while it may also develop a knobbly appearance.
Arthroscopy for osteoarthritis
Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure during which a thin metal tube, called an arthroscope, is inserted into a joint. The tube has a light and camera attached to the end, and images are relayed back to TV screens theatre.
An arthroscopy is a minimally invasive way of diagnosing and treating joint problems, including osteoarthritis in the knee. Not only can the surgeon confirm damage inside the joint, he/she can wash out the knee and remove any defunct cartilage or debris.
However, there is some debate as to whether arthroscopy for osteoarthritis has any benefits. In 2008, NICE issued guidelines saying that arthroscopy should only be offered for knee osteoarthritis if there are problems with 'mechanical locking' or giving way.
Risks of arthroscopy for knee osteoarthritis
An arthroscopy is a type of keyhole surgery. Nevertheless, it does carry risks, including:
- Infection
- Knee damage
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Problems with general anaesthetic
A patient should be told about these risks before signing a consent form. If one or more of these complications do arise, it may not be the fault of medical practitioners, as it may be the patient was unfortunate enough to suffer a non-negligent complication of arthroscopy.
When might there be grounds for a claim?
But there may be grounds for a claim if medical practitioners did not take reasonable steps to prevent, diagnose or treat an arthroscopy complication. For instance, if a patient is thought to be at risk of infection, antibiotics should be given as a precautionary measure. Or if an infection does develop post-operatively, it should be immediately recognised and treatment given.
If you believe there were failings in your care, causing you to suffer medical issues after an arthroscopy, please get in touch. We will be able to say whether or not you have grounds for a compensation claim.
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