When arthroscopy needed for knee pain caused by chondromalacia? Orthopedic surgeon Eric Eifler, MD.

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Dr. Eric Eifler is a board certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes as a sports medicine orthopedic surgery. Dr. Eifler is an orthopedic doctor with practice in Goodyear, AZ.
The knee is the largest joint in the human body, and is actually made of three compartments. Each of the compartments of the knee functions as a joint in and of itself. The first compartment is the junction between the kneecap and the thigh bone. This is called the patellofemoral junction. This junction is covered with cartilage which can crack and peel. When the cartilage in a joint cracks and peels the damaged areas is called chondromalacia. The second and third compartments of the knee are the actual joint where the leg and thigh bones come together.
Chondromalacia is mostly caused by arthritis. If you have arthritis then chances are it is due to either 1) overuse with aging; 2) traumatic injury as often occur during sports, car accidents, or while working; or 3) you have an underlying inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis. Chondromalacia caused by arthritis results in pain in the knee with usage.
Knee pain caused by chondromalacia can often be treated by arthroscopy. The pain is caused by the chondromalacia; so, removing the chondromalacia removes the pain. To begin the arthroscopic procedure of the knee two small incisions are made in the skin and the camera and working channel are inserted. Between these lesion areas the knee has healthy, smooth, glistening, white cartilage. These lesions in the cartilage of the knee can been seen through the arthroscope. Sometimes the normal cartilage is broken off in loose bodies. Other times the damaged cartilage in the lesion may be forming a flap. The lesions can be cleaned up through the arthroscope. Peeling off a flap is a lot like peeling paint.
By cleaning out the lesion we hope to damage from spreading.