Knee Arthroscopy

Knee arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgery where a surgeon looks inside your knee with a tiny camera and fixes things using small tools through a few tiny cuts.

Think of it like sending a mini camera into a stuck door hinge to see what’s wrong and smooth it out.

Why it’s done

• Fix or trim a torn meniscus (the knee’s shock absorber)
• Remove loose pieces, clean inflamed tissue
• Smooth damaged cartilage or treat a plica

Shorter wait times

Consults and surgery dates are typically scheduled in weeks—not months—which means faster relief and return to work, sport, and caregiving duties.

Choice & control

Ability to choose a surgeon based on what's important to you (i.e. specific expertise, experience, qualifications, personal connection).

Certainty

Private pathways typically provide a clear quote and surgery date/timeline, so you can arrange time off, caregiver help, and rehab. This certainty can ease anxiety and help families plan for recovery.

Preventing further decline

• Mechanical symptoms: Persistent locking or catching from meniscal tears or loose bodies can damage cartilage over time; earlier treatment may protect joint surfaces.
• Function and performance: Sooner restoration of motion and mechanics can reduce compensatory problems in the hip/ankle and help maintain fitness/work capacity.
• Inflammation cycle: Recurrent effusions and synovitis can prolong pain and downtime; timely intervention can break the flare‑up cycle.
• Complexity creep: Delays may turn a simpler scope into a more involved procedure if tears propagate or cartilage damage progresses.

1. ‍Confirm your diagnosis. Most patients start with a family doctor or specialist who confirms that knee arthroscopy is needed.
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2. Research. Explore surgeons who specialize in private knee arthroscopy.
   • You can find surgeons in Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Toronto, Ontario; and Montréal, Québec on our app, and review qualifications, as well as pricing.
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3. Schedule an initial consultation. Most surgeons offer in-clinic and online consults.
   
   • Consultations are usually booked within days or a few weeks.
   • Note: expect a consultation fee between $150 - $350.
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4. Consultation. The surgeon will review your condition, symptoms, and any previous treatments or diagnostics, such as x-rays or MRIs.
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5. ‍Post consultation. The surgeon will then review your case and provide surgical options based on your needs; review the risks and expected outcomes; and present pricing and scheduling options.
   
   • Because the procedure is not covered by your provincial health plan when done privately, you’ll need to review the quoted cost and consider payment options (out-of-pocket, private insurance, or financing).
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6. Schedule your surgery date. Once you confirm the procedure and payment, the clinic will schedule your surgery—generally within a few weeks.
   
   • Plan for travel and accommodation, since the surgery will likely take place outside your home province.
   • Expect pre-surgery preparation, and possibly some pre-surgery tests.

Knee arthroscopy takes 30-75 minutes depending on the extent of the underlying problem.

• Anesthesia: You’re put to sleep.
• Small cuts: 2–3 tiny incisions for a camera and slim tools.
• Fill and inspect: Salty fluid expands the knee; surgeon checks meniscus, cartilage, ligaments.
• Fix: Trim or repair a torn meniscus, remove loose pieces, smooth rough cartilage, treat plica/synovitis.
• Rinse and test motion.
• Close: Small stitches/strips and bandage.

The recovery process varies patient to patient. Your recovery might look quite different, so please seek further guidance from your surgeon. In general here is what you can expect:

Week 1:

• Goals: Pain control, swelling reduction, initial basic movement, 90 degrees of flexion (if allowed).

• Activities:
  
  • Same day discharge.
  • Preliminary physiotherapy to prevent stiffness and encourage circulation (i.e. ankle pumps, quad flexing, heel slides, etc.).
  • Minimal weight bearing, walking with crutches.
  • Pain medication management and wound care.

Weeks 2-4:

• Goals: Swelling management, slowly buildup walking, flexion to 110-120 degrees.
  

• Activities:
  
  • Wean off crutches and focus on building up to a normal gait.
  • Physiotherapy to restore full extension and slowly increase flexion.

Weeks 5-12:

• Goals: Full range of motion, normal gait, slowly build up strength and endurance.

• Activities:
  
  • More challenging physical therapy in order to improve range of motion and build strength.
    
  • Daily exercises. Possibly low impact activities like swimming (only if cleared by healthcare team).
  • Walking longer distances.

Weeks 13-52:

• Goals: Regain full functionality of the knee, recover your lost strength, return to active lifestyle and sport (with clearance from surgeon).

• Activities:
  
  • Physical therapy may continue the entire first year post operation, gradually bringing you back to your activity levels pre-surgery.
  • Daily exercises are no longer essential once you achieve normal range of motion and strength, but routine exercise is encouraged to keep muscles strong.
  • You will be able to return to low impact sports like golf, tennis, swimming, or cycling. For anything high impact, please consult your surgeon and physio.

Knee arthroscopy costs vary quite a bit. Private clinics usually charge between $4,000 to $8,000 per knee.

In the United States, knee arthroscopy costs an average of CA$10,350.

Costs vary so much because of location, surgeon experience, facility type, complexity, and included services (some clinics offer all-inclusive, while others charge separately for anesthesia, followup care, etc.).

What’s included

Most quotes for private knee arthroscopy cover:

• Surgeon fee (and assistant if used) and anesthesiologist/general anesthesia (varies by clinic).
• Facility fees (OR time, nursing, supplies, arthroscopy equipment).
• Standard implants/anchors for routine repairs (often a set number included—confirm how many).
• Immediate post‑op recovery care and routine early follow‑ups (wound check, suture removal).
• Basic sling and initial rehab instructions (varies by clinic).

What’s usually not included:

• Pre‑op consults and advanced imaging beyond basics (MRI, repeat scans).
• Additional implants/anchors or biologics (e.g., microfracture tools, PRP) not in the bundle.
• Unexpected overnight admission, ER visits, or extra imaging for complications.
• Formal physiotherapy beyond initial guidance (ongoing PT sessions are usually out‑of‑pocket/insurance).
• Post‑discharge medications (pain meds, anti‑nausea, blood thinners if needed).
• Travel and accommodation if surgery is out‑of‑province.
• Fees for complication management or re‑operations beyond the routine global period (policy dependent).

Insurance and financing options

• Private health insurance: Some plans may cover part of the costs, such as hospital fees. It’s important to check your policy directly.
• Financing plans: Many clinics offer monthly payment options to help spread out the cost. Learn more about your financing options here.‍
• Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC): This is a non-refundable credit that reduces your taxes when you pay out-of-pocket for eligible medical expenses. Learn more about how to claim METC for private surgeries.

Choosing your surgeon is one of the benefits of going the private route. Here’s what to consider and the key questions to bring to your knee arthroscopy consultation.

What to look for

• Experience and volume
  • Ask how many knee arthroscopies they perform each year and the mix: meniscus trim vs repair, cartilage procedures, plica/synovitis, loose body removal. Higher volume often means smoother care.
• Credentials and training
  • Confirm licensure with the provincial college (e.g., CPSO in Ontario, CPSBC in BC, CPSA in Alberta).
  • Look for FRCSC-certified orthopaedic surgeons, ideally with a sports medicine/arthroscopy fellowship.
• Specialization and outcomes
  • Ask about reoperation rates, infection rates, stiffness rates, return‑to‑sport timelines, and outcomes for meniscus repair vs trim.
• Technique and anesthesia
  • Do they offer both meniscus repair and trim and explain when each is used? What repair technique/anchors do they use?
  • Anesthesia approach: general vs spinal vs regional block with sedation; post‑op pain protocol.
• Imaging and planning
  • Comfort correlating MRI with symptoms; criteria for addressing cartilage lesions or plica; plan if unexpected findings occur.‍
• Facility accreditation‍
  
  • Make sure the clinic is accredited by national bodies such as Accreditation Canada or the Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (CAAASF).‍
• Rehab integration‍
  
  • Access to knee‑savvy physiotherapy, clear phased protocol, and communication with your local therapist if you’re traveling.

Questions to ask during your knee arthroscopy consultation

Surgeon and surgery plan

• How many knee arthroscopies (and meniscus repairs vs trims) do you perform yearly? Complication and reoperation rates?
• Based on my MRI/exam, do you recommend repair or trim? What are the pros/cons for my age/activity level?
• If repair: how many anchors, what construct, and what are your healing/return‑to‑sport rates?
• Will you treat other issues if found (loose bodies, plica, cartilage lesions)? How would that change recovery?
• What anesthesia do you recommend and why? Expected OR time and same‑day discharge?

Recovery and aftercare

• Weight‑bearing: How soon can I walk normally? Different rules for repair vs trim?
• Timelines: When can I drive, return to desk work vs manual work, jog, and return to sport?
• Physio plan: Frequency early on; do you provide a written rehab protocol for my therapist?
• Pain and swelling control: Nerve blocks, meds, icing/compression plan.
• Red flags: What should prompt me to call or go to the ER?
• Communication: Who is my point of contact after surgery and typical response times?

Costs and logistics

• What exactly is included in my quote (surgeon, facility, anesthesia, implants/anchors if repair, brace/crutches, follow‑ups)?
• What could add cost (extra anchors, cartilage procedures, biologics like PRP, unexpected overnight stay, complications)?
• If complications occur or a revision is needed, how are costs handled? Do you have a revision policy?
• If I’m traveling from another province, which follow‑ups can be virtual? What records will I receive (operative note, anchor list, rehab protocol)?