Concierge orthopaedic surgery · London
Arthroscopy, the modern minimally invasive keyhole approach to joint disease.
Arthroscopy is a day-case procedure in which a small camera and instruments are inserted through 2–3 skin incisions to inspect, diagnose and treat conditions of the knee, shoulder, hip, ankle, wrist and elbow. Modern reconstructive arthroscopy is the standard-of-care for many soft-tissue joint injuries.
Why patients choose us
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The right hands
We route you to a consultant orthopaedic surgeon whose caseload is arthroscopy of the specific joint — the operator who does it decides the outcome.
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Day-case, home the same day
Modern arthroscopy is a day-case procedure — most patients are home the same evening with a clear rehab plan.
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Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Key facts
Arthroscopy at a glance.
The essentials — what arthroscopy is, which joints it treats and what to expect on the day.
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Definition
Keyhole, camera-guided joint procedure.
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Joints
Knee, shoulder, hip, ankle, elbow, wrist.
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Setting
Day-case procedure under general or regional anaesthesia.
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Incisions
2–3 small portals with rapid recovery.
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Scope
Diagnostic or reconstructive.
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Standard of care
Modern all-arthroscopic techniques for shoulder, ankle and hip.
The problem
Arthroscopy is only as good as the surgeon holding the scope.
Outcomes correlate tightly with operator volume and joint-specific fellowship training. We route you to a consultant whose weekly caseload is your joint — not a generalist.
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Sports injury of the knee or shoulder?
We route you to a surgeon whose weekly list is your joint — meniscus, ACL, labrum or rotator cuff.
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Persistent hip or ankle pain?
Femoroacetabular impingement and anterior ankle impingement are surgeon-dependent — we pick accordingly.
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Failed prior repair?
Revision arthroscopy is a different skill set — we route you to surgeons who do it routinely.
The pathway
From consultation to rehab — what happens, in order.
One surgical team from first consultation through operation to structured physiotherapy.
Phase 1 · Before surgery
Consultation and imaging
Phase 2 · On the day
Day-case procedure
Phase 3 · After
Physiotherapy
- 01
Before
Orthopaedic surgical consultation
Consultant assessment of the affected joint, injury history and functional goals.
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Before
Pre-operative MRI and X-ray
Cross-sectional and plain imaging to characterise the pathology and plan the procedure.
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Before
Fasting 6 hours before surgery
No food for 6 hours; clear fluids to 2 hours before your scheduled time.
- 04
On the day
Regional or general anaesthesia
Anaesthetic choice tailored to the joint, your health and the planned procedure.
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On the day
Arthroscopic procedure (30–90 min)
Two to three small portals, joint distension, camera-guided inspection and treatment.
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On the day
Discharge same day
Home the same evening with dressings, analgesia and a written recovery plan.
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After
Physiotherapy 1–2 weeks post-op
Structured rehab starts within 1–2 weeks, joint-specific and progressive.
Typical end-to-end: 4–6 weeks from consultation to surgery. Urgent cases: days.
What it treats
What can be diagnosed and repaired inside a joint.
Arthroscopy handles a defined set of intra-articular problems — the pathologies we see most across knee, shoulder, hip, ankle, elbow and wrist.
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Meniscal or labral tears
Repair or partial resection of knee meniscus, hip or shoulder labrum.
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Cartilage injury (chondral lesion)
Assessment and treatment of full or partial-thickness cartilage defects.
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Loose body
Removal of free cartilage, bone or foreign body fragments from the joint.
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Synovitis / villonodular disease
Synovectomy and biopsy for inflammatory or proliferative synovial disease.
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Ligament repair (ACL, ankle, shoulder)
All-arthroscopic reconstruction of the ACL, ankle ligaments or shoulder stabilisers.
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Rotator cuff repair
Arthroscopic tendon-to-bone repair for full or partial rotator cuff tears.
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Osteochondral defect treatment
Microfracture, drilling or grafting for talar dome and knee osteochondral lesions.
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Red flag: intra-op vascular injury or compartment syndrome — urgent surgical review
Escalate immediately to the operating consultant and on-call vascular team.
Joints and procedure types
Not all arthroscopies are the same.
What each joint-specific procedure actually addresses.
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Knee arthroscopy
Meniscal repair, ACL reconstruction, chondroplasty and loose body removal.
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Shoulder arthroscopy
Rotator cuff repair, labral repair (Bankart, SLAP) and subacromial decompression.
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Hip arthroscopy
Femoroacetabular impingement, labral repair and cartilage treatment.
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Ankle arthroscopy
Anterior impingement, osteochondral defects and ligament repair.
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Elbow arthroscopy
Loose body removal, capsular release and osteophyte debridement.
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Wrist arthroscopy
TFCC repair, ligament assessment and ganglion excision.
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Diagnostic arthroscopy
Camera-only inspection when imaging is equivocal — see the dedicated diagnostic page.
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Revision arthroscopy
Second-look and revision procedures after prior surgery or failed repair.
Our vetted London network
A small panel of surgeons, we picked them.
Consultants across central, north, west and south London. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every surgeon in our network.
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Consultant orthopaedic surgeons with subspecialty arthroscopy fellowship training
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High-volume joint-specific caseload (knee, shoulder, hip, ankle, elbow, wrist)
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Day-case units with dedicated arthroscopy theatres and pump equipment
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Structured physiotherapy pathway from the day of discharge
Safety and red flags
A very safe procedure — with recognised risks.
Arthroscopy has a strong safety profile, but every joint procedure has recognised complications. These are the ones your consent conversation should cover.
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Post-op infection
Rare but serious — any escalating pain, redness or fever needs same-day surgical review.
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Deep vein thrombosis
Prophylaxis is standard; calf pain or swelling warrants urgent assessment.
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Compartment syndrome
A surgical emergency — severe pain out of proportion, tightness and numbness demand immediate escalation.
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Nerve injury
Peroneal, saphenous or axillary nerves are at risk depending on the joint — usually neuropraxic and recovers.
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Failed repair
A repair can loosen or re-tear, particularly with early return to load or poor tissue quality.
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Recurrent instability
Some shoulders and ankles remain unstable after arthroscopic stabilisation and need revision.
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Missed pathology
Complex intra-articular disease can be under-appreciated — cross-sectional imaging beforehand reduces this.
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Anaesthetic complication
General and regional anaesthesia both carry small risks — the anaesthetist consents you individually.
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Chronic regional pain syndrome
Uncommon but recognised — persistent disproportionate pain and swelling need pain-team review.
Reading your operative note
An operative note looks intimidating. It isn’t.
Whatever the joint and procedure, the note keeps to the same four parts.
A quiet reminder
The note is written for your GP and physio, not for you — and that’s normal.
If you would like us to talk you through it before your follow-up, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication, joint and side
Your details, the affected joint, the operative side and the reason for surgery.
- 02 Technique
Portals, anaesthesia and instruments
Which portals were used, the anaesthetic technique and the arthroscopic hardware deployed.
- 03 Findings
Intra-articular findings
Compartment-by-compartment description of cartilage, meniscus, labrum, ligament and synovium.
- 04 Impression
Procedure performed and rehab plan
What was done, weight-bearing status, brace instructions and the physiotherapy pathway — read this first.
Treatment options and next steps
What follows the theatre.
Arthroscopy is one step in a longer pathway — rehab and adjuncts decide the outcome as much as the operation itself.
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Physiotherapy
Joint-specific, progressive rehabilitation from week 1 or 2.
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Structured return-to-sport
Milestone-based protocols with objective strength and function targets.
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Sports medicine follow-up
Sports physician review to progress load and manage flares.
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Pain management (multi-modal)
Simple analgesia, ice, elevation and nerve-modulating options when needed.
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Bracing during rehab
Joint-specific braces to protect early repair or reconstruction.
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Injection therapy (adjunct)
Cortisone, hyaluronic acid or orthobiologics as an adjunct where appropriate.
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Revision arthroscopy
Second-look surgery when a repair fails or new symptoms emerge.
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Joint replacement (last resort)
When the joint surface is beyond arthroscopic repair, replacement is the endpoint.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover depends on your policy and clinic; we confirm with your insurer before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about arthroscopy.
Quick answers on joints, anaesthesia, recovery time and how the diagnostic-only pathway differs.
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What does arthroscopy involve?
A day-case procedure in which a small camera and instruments are inserted through 2–3 skin portals to inspect, diagnose and treat conditions inside a joint. Modern arthroscopy is the standard of care for many soft-tissue joint injuries in the knee, shoulder, hip, ankle, elbow and wrist.
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How is diagnostic arthroscopy different?
Diagnostic arthroscopy is camera-only inspection when MRI and clinical examination are equivocal. This page covers the full picture — inspection plus treatment; the diagnostic-only pathway has its own guide at /tests/arthroscopy-diagnostic.
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Which joints can be treated arthroscopically?
Knee, shoulder, hip, ankle, elbow and wrist are the mainstream indications. All-arthroscopic techniques for shoulder stabilisation, hip labral repair and ankle ligament repair are now standard of care in specialist hands.
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Do I need a general anaesthetic?
Not always. Knee and ankle procedures are often done under regional block; shoulder and hip arthroscopy typically use general anaesthesia. The anaesthetist decides with you on the day.
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How long is the procedure?
Most arthroscopies take 30–90 minutes of theatre time, depending on joint and complexity. Add anaesthetic and recovery — you are usually in the unit for a half-day.
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When can I go back to work and sport?
Sedentary work: often within 1–2 weeks. Manual work and sport depend on the joint and procedure — from 6 weeks for a simple knee arthroscopy to 6–9 months for ACL or rotator cuff reconstruction. Your surgeon and physio set the timeline.
Sources
- British Orthopaedic Association. Standards for trauma and orthopaedic surgery.
- NICE. Musculoskeletal guidance and interventional procedures.
- European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy (ESSKA).
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Clinical practice guidelines.
Published 2026-07-30. Next review 2027-07-30. Reviewed by Pulse Atlas Editorial Board, . Reading time ~7 minutes.
Related tests
Looking for a different test?
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Diagnostic arthroscopy
Camera-only inspection when imaging is equivocal.
Learn more -
Knee MRI
Cross-sectional imaging of meniscus, cartilage and ligaments.
Learn more -
ACL testing
Clinical and functional assessment of the anterior cruciate ligament.
Learn more -
All tests
Browse every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more -
Osteoarthritis Hip Knee
Related condition guide.
Learn more -
Plantar Fasciitis
Related condition guide.
Learn more -
Cortisone Shots
Related treatment option.
Learn more -
Chondroplasty
Related treatment option.
Learn more
In practice, in London
Where arthroscopy sits in a private London pathway
With arthroscopy, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it — not whether the scan is available. The NHS route for arthroscopy is thorough, but the queue is real. Most patients we speak with have been told to expect anywhere from a handful of weeks to several months, depending on their local trust and how the referral is graded. Going private in London usually collapses that window to a matter of days — often the same week if the diary allows. It isn’t about jumping a queue so much as buying time back while you still have the flexibility to plan around it.
A typical private booking for arthroscopy in London starts with a consultant conversation — sometimes in person on Harley Street or Marylebone, sometimes on video if that suits better. Any imaging or diagnostics happen at a nearby CQC-registered facility, and reports usually land within 24 to 72 hours. The whole loop, from first call to written report, is often done inside a fortnight. For arthroscopy specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.
Honesty about expectations is part of the job. A private arthroscopy appointment in London won’t change the underlying medicine — the guidelines, the consultants, and the equipment are largely the same as on the NHS. What it changes is speed, continuity, and the amount of time you get to actually talk through the findings. Everyone we route to is GMC-registered and works within CQC-regulated facilities.
Nearby in the library