I have had cartilage removed from my knee something like five times. They give you a choice for the kind of anesthetic you want. I had always done general and it worked fine for me, but the last time I just had local. They offer a gas to relax you. I wanted to stay away and watch the surgery. It was fascinating. I highy recommend just getting the local. There is no pain, and it is great to get to see the surgery. My surgeon showed me what he was doing on the monitor. It was great.
Bottom line is that it is not a big deal. You'll be sore for a couple of days, but then you'll be okay for day to day things. Returning to sports will take a bit longer.
When you'll get out of the hospital depends on a number of factors such as when your surgery is actually scheduled. They get you in early so they can get you into a bed and shave your leg. You will spend a lot of time waiting. Once the surgery happens, you'll have to go the recovery room for a few hours. You should ask your doctor or the hospital when you arrive when you can expect to leave. You won't get an accurate answer from CP.
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