Arthroscopic Surgery - A Minimally Invasive Approach to Joint Repair
Our joints are made of many moving parts, including bones, cartilage, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. In order to diagnose and treat complex joint issues, orthopedic specialists often turn to arthroscopy. This is a minimally invasive procedure in which a surgeon inserts a tiny instrument called an arthroscope through a small incision in the patient’s skin. The arthroscope is connected to a miniature camera, allowing the surgeon to see the interior of the damaged joint on a video screen.
With the arthroscope providing visual guidance in real time, surgeons can operate on a joint using tiny instruments inserted through additional incisions. Arthroscopic surgery has significant advantages compared to traditional open surgery techniques. There is less bleeding during the procedure. Patients spend less time in the hospital, recover more quickly, and are left with much smaller scars.
Arthroscopic Surgical Procedures
Arthroscopic surgery is a preservation technique used to repair soft tissues in joints damaged by injury, over-use, or age-related wear and tear - the goal of which is to maintain your normal range of motion for as long as possible, before considering joint replacement therapy. Our surgeons commonly perform the following arthroscopic procedures:
Knee
- Removal or repair of a torn meniscus
- Reconstruction of a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
- Removal of inflamed synovial tissue
- Trimming of damaged articular cartilage
- Removal of loose fragments of bone or cartilage
- Treatment of patella (kneecap) problems
- Treatment of knee sepsis (infection)
Shoulder
- Rotator cuff repair
- Labral tear repair
- Shoulder impingement surgery
- Repair of ligaments
- Removal of inflamed tissue or loose cartilage
- Repair for recurrent shoulder dislocation
Other Joints
Arthroscopic surgical techniques can be applied to surgeries of the ankle,
hip, elbow, and wrist. Arthroscopic surgery is commonly used to repair
tears in the hip labrum.
Use our Find a Provider tool to find one of our experts specializing in arthroscopic surgery.