Knee arthroscopy surgery at Spire Leeds Hospital

Keyhole surgery allows your doctor to check and treat knee problems.

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At Spire Leeds Hospital, we offer knee arthroscopy for the investigation and treatment of knee pain and joint injuries, including meniscal (meniscus) tear, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, cartilage damage, ligament repair and osteoarthritis.

A knee arthroscopy is a type of keyhole surgery, which uses a thin, flexible, telescopic instrument called an arthroscope to investigate – and sometimes treat – knee problems.

Sometimes also called

  • Meniscal tear surgery
  • Cruciate ligament surgery

At a glance

  • Typical hospital stay
    Same-day discharge or 1 night

  • Procedure duration
    30 minutes to 2 hours

  • Type of anaesthetic
    General, spinal or local

  • Available to self-pay?
    Yes

  • Covered by health insurance?
    Yes

Why Spire?

  • Fast access to a wide range of treatments
  • Consultants who are experts in their field
  • Flexible payment options to help you spread the cost
  • Rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission

By Wallace Health I Medically reviewed by Adrian Roberts.
Page last reviewed: October 2018 I Next review due: October 2023

Knee arthroscopy: what to expect at Spire Leeds Hospital

At Spire Leeds Hospital, our team of orthopaedic (bone and muscle) surgeons can offer you a treatment and care plan that's personal to you and your needs. Our dedicated nurses and physiotherapists will provide expert aftercare to help you get the most from your operation.

We offer fast diagnosis to treatment time and easy booking with appointment times to suit you.

How much does Knee arthroscopy surgery cost at Spire Leeds Hospital

It's a common procedure to have done privately, and our inclusive prices and access to payment plans make it easy and more affordable, even if you don’t have medical insurance.

Knee arthroscopy surgery (multiple operations)
Initial consultation £195
Treatment price £4,636
Aftercare Included
From price From £4,831
Monthly treatment price

(Loan applicable to the treatment cost and excludes the initial consultation)

£247
Representative example
Loan amount £4,136
Deposit £500
Loan period 18 months
Representative APR 9.9%
Total amount repayable £4,446

The price shown is the ‘from price’ (ie the minimum cost of the procedure). Please note that for some procedures the actual price you are quoted may vary significantly and can increase depending on your choice of Consultant (who is an independent practitioner and not an employee of Spire). The fees charged by Consultants and Anaesthetists are set independently and are outside the control of Spire. The price may also vary depending on the type of anaesthetic, implant or drug used, and your medical history.

Spire Leeds Hospital can provide you with a single, fixed price for your procedure so there are no surprises. Please read Spire Healthcare's terms and conditions for full details of what’s included and excluded in your fixed price when paying for yourself. Finance options are available through our partner Omni Capital Retail Finance Ltd, 10 Norwich Street, London, EC4A 1BD.

Procedures offered for knee arthroscopy at Spire Leeds Hospital

At Spire Leeds Hospital, we have wide experience of performing knee arthroscopy in our high-quality facilities, including three operating theatres with laminar flow. These theatres regulate air flow to reduce the risk of infection.

The procedures offered to you will depend on your symptoms or condition. Some of our consultants perform microfracture – where they make small holes in your bones to stimulate cartilage growth.

Preparing for knee arthroscopy at Spire Leeds Hospital

Getting here

Spire Leeds Hospital is situated just off Leeds' main A6120 ring road, approximately three miles from Leeds city centre. The hospital is accessible via public transport (bus) or we're 15 minutes by car from the city centre and the mainline railway station. We have free on-site parking for you and your visitors.

Your consultations

For your appointments, you’ll meet your consultant in one of our 17 consultation rooms. All of our rooms are accessible, so there’s no need to worry about stairs if your knee is very painful.

If you haven’t been diagnosed yet, your consultant will do the following before a knee arthroscopy:

  • Discuss what may have happened to cause your symptoms (eg a sports injury or fall)
  • Ask about your medical history
  • They may recommend using our advanced scanning, imaging and diagnostic technologies to look at your knee to help understand the cause of your pain or mobility issues

Your consultations give you an opportunity to discuss your needs and expectations from your surgery. We can then outline a treatment and care plan that’s tailored to you.

Full knee arthroscopy surgery

Watch how a knee arthroscopy surgery takes place

Knee arthroscopy: your procedure

On the day of your knee arthroscopy, you’ll meet your orthopaedic consultant again and your anaesthetist. If you’ve come with a friend or family member, they’re welcome to wait in your room while you have your operation.

Your anaesthetist or consultant will give you one of the following:

  • A general anaesthetic, when you’re asleep
  • An epidural or spinal anaesthetic, when you can’t feel anything below your waist
  • A local anaesthetic so you can’t feel your knee

Once ready, your consultant will make tiny incisions and pass a small telescopic instrument into your knee. This is called an arthroscope and has a camera so your consultant can see inside your knee to do any of the following:

  • Investigate your knee to find a cause of your pain or other symptoms
  • Repair damage to soft tissues
  • Remove loose bone fragments or scar tissue
  • Take tissue samples if there’s inflammation

Exactly what happens during your procedure will depend on your symptoms or condition. Your consultant will either identify the problem and treat it simultaneously during the knee arthroscopy or if you have had an investigative knee arthroscopy, they’ll let you know if they recommend further treatment.

Q & A

Jeremy Jarratt, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Talking about knee arthroscopy surgery

Knee arthroscopy: your recovery

It’s common to experience some pain or discomfort, but rest assured that we have a dedicated healthcare team who’ll be able to provide pain relief medication and ensure you’re as comfortable as possible. You shouldn't feel as much pain after an arthroscopy than with traditional surgery, and how long this lasts depends on:

  • Your condition or injury
  • What treatment (if any) you had
  • If you have an ongoing knee disease or injury needing further treatment

After your surgery, your consultant will discuss how your investigation/treatment went, and any future procedures you may benefit from. Typically, you’ll be able to go home later the same day or the day after your knee arthroscopy.

Although everybody’s different and you should always follow your consultant’s advice, here’s a typical recovery timeline for knee arthroscopy:

Up to 1 night

Leave hospital

1–2 weeks

Return to work, depending on your job

Around 2 weeks

May be able to drive

6 weeks

Return to heavy work and sports

  • Up to 1 night


    Leave hospital

  • 1–2 weeks


    Return to work, depending on your job

  • Around 2 weeks


    May be able to drive

  • 6 weeks


    Return to heavy work and sports

The treatment described on this page may be adapted to meet your individual needs, so it's important to follow your healthcare professional's advice and raise any questions that you may have with them.

How to get to us

Spire Leeds Hospital is situated just off Leeds' main A6120 ring road, approximately three miles from Leeds city centre. We're just minutes from local landmarks Tropical World and Roundhay Park.

We're 15 minutes by car from the city centre and the mainline railway station.

Find us on Google maps

Use geographic coordinates/what3words

Spire Leeds Hospital,

Jackson Ave
Roundhay
Leeds
LS8 1NT

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Important information about COVID-19 tests

COVID-19 testing or antibody tests are not available as a standalone service at Spire Leeds Hospital.

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