Q: What is Arthroscopic Surgery?
In the past, treatment of orthopedic injuries involved extensive surgery, including large incisions, a hospital stay, and a prolonged recovery period.

But arthroscopy has revolutionized the treatment of joint injuries!

Arthroscopic surgery is an innovative, minimally invasive type of surgery, that allows orthopedic surgeons to diagnose and treat a variety of injuries without having to make a large open incision to access the injured joint. In the past, treatment of orthopedic injuries involved extensive surgery, including large incisions, a hospital stay, and a prolonged recovery period. With small incision sites and direct access to most areas of the joint, an arthroscopic surgeon can diagnose and surgically correct a vast array of joint problems such as arthritis and ligament tears.

The treatment of athletic and nonathletic injuries through arthroscopic surgery has exploded over the past two decades. Arthroscopic instruments and procedures are constantly updated, enabling the specialty trained orthopaedic surgeon to better treat patients. This minimally invasive surgery is available to most patients at our clinic if it is found to be appropriate for a specific injury or condition.

Q: What is an arthroscope?
The arthroscope is a small fiberoptic viewing instrument made up of a tiny lens, light source and video camera.

The surgical instruments used in arthroscopic surgery are very small (only 3 or 4 mm in diameter), but appear much larger when viewed through an arthroscope.

The surgeon inserts the arthroscope into the joint through a tiny incision (about 1/4 of an inch) called a portal. Other portals are used for the insertion of surgical instruments. A video image is sent from the arthroscope to a television monitor. The surgeon watches the screen while operating thus having a clear view of the entire joint.

The arthroscopic video equipment can be used to generate photographic images and videotapes. These pictures and video clips are then used to show a patient what his or her joint looks like and what was done during the surgery.

Q: What are the advantages arthroscopic versus open orthopaedic surgery?

    1.    Outpatient Surgery

Most arthroscopic procedures are now performed on an outpatient basis. This means that patients arrive at the surgery center, have the arthroscopic procedure performed, recover acutely in the post-surgical care unit, and then are discharged to recover in the comfort of their home that same day.

2. Less traumatic:

Arthroscopic procedures are performed through several very small incisions, usually less than a centimeter in length. The arthroscopic instruments are passed into the joint through these small incisions while the surgeon views the picture on a monitor screen.

3. Fewer complications:

Because of the smaller wounds, there is generally less risk of an infection, nerve damage, and bleeding with arthroscopic procedures.

4. Faster recovery:

        Because of small incisions, there is often less pain. This allows patients to leave the hospital the same day of           surgery, and to recover more quickly to return to work and sports. Because the pain is often minimal, it is           important however not to push too hard in returning to normal activities. The recovery must supervised by           the orthopedic surgeon and physical therapist and should follow a prescribed plan toward normal activity.

In our practice we commonly perform arthroscopic surgery on several joints including the knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and ankle.

Cartilage damage: In the knee, arthroscopic surgery can be used to treat injuries to the articular cartilage and meniscus. The menisci are two fibrocartilage cushioning pads lying between the femur bone and the tibia bone in the knee joint. These pads can tear, split, or fray through a hard twisting accident to a knee, or as part of a degenerative aging process in the joint. Arthroscopic surgery is used to either trim, repair, or remove the damaged tissue.
In the shoulder, arthroscopic surgery is commonly used to treat injuries of, the articular cartilage, fibrocartilage glenoid rim (the labrum). The labrum helps to stabilize the shoulder joint, and when it is injured or detached from its normal position, a patient may experience pain, "clicking/popping", or shoulder instability. A damaged labrum can be treated by trimming the damaged tissue or by reattaching it with the use of arthroscopic surgery.

"Loose bodies": This refers to loose fragments of bone or cartilage, which can float freely in a joint. The loose fragments may cause intermittent pain, locking, or catching of that joint. Arthroscopic surgery can be used to remove the loose fragments from the joint.

Ligament injuries: the arthroscope has allowed surgeons to better diagnose and treat ligament injuries. Many ligament recontructions are arthroscopically assisted and are thus performed through smaller incisions.

Rotator cuff injuries: arthroscopic surgery is used to address both tears and inflammation of the rotator cuff tendons. A frequently performed procedure is arthroscopic subacromial decompression. This surgery is performed for "impingement syndrome", which is an inflammation of the area around the rotator cuff tendons of the shoulder joint.

Arthritis: arthroscopic surgery is used to both evaluate the extent of arthritic joint surface damage within the joints and to treat the resulting problems. Arthroscopy helps to shave and smooth the rough cartilage surface and "wash out" the worn out debris. It is important to understand that this procedure will not halt or reverse the underlying arthritis.