I had a repair to my right knee meniscus. The surgery was what they call an all-inside technique. That was three months ago. I’m still having significant swelling and pain in that knee. And I know this seems weird but I swear sometimes it feels like a stitch is trying to work its way out. Is that possible?

The meniscus is a commonly injured structure in the knee and this injury can occur in any age group. For quite some time now, surgeons have been able to repair torn or damaged menisci (menisci is plural for meniscus) using minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques.

Ten years ago, a new arthroscopic approach called the all-inside method was introduced. There are several benefits to this technique. First of all, only a few small puncture holes are needed to slip the surgical tools into the joint. No large scars are needed. The back of the knee doesn’t have to be opened to tie the sutures (an inside-out technique). Healing time is shorter.

Like all surgical procedures, there can be complications. And with this particular approach, (all-inside arthroscopy) there can be local soft tissue irritation with knee swelling. The implants used as sutures for the all-inside repair (arrows, screws, staples, or sutures) can pull out and shift position (called migration). You may be feeling the prominence of a suture anchor.

Those devices used to stabilize the torn meniscus can work themselves out of place and even put pressure on nearby nerves or blood vessels. It’s best to make an appointment with your surgeon and get back in for a follow-up evaluation. Whatever is causing the problem can be identified and taken care of before it progresses any further.