Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive, usually outpatient procedure that is done for both diagnostic and treatment purposes. Arthroscopy consists of your surgeon making one or more tiny incisions around the affected joint, then inserting a thin, flexible tube with a fiber-optic camera function at the end of it – known as an arthroscope – into the joint.
With this technique, your orthopedist can see real-time images of the inside of your joint right there on a monitor in the operating room. The doctor can accomplish a number of things through this type of procedure.
Why Would I Have Arthroscopic Surgery?
Arthroscopy can be done to perform one or more of the following on a joint:
Diagnose the Cause of an Injury or Pain
Sometimes, imaging scans are not enough for a physician to determine what is wrong with a joint. Therefore, your doctor may recommend arthroscopy for diagnostic purposes in order to view the issue. Once the problem is discovered, the surgeon may decide to make the repair immediately if possible.
Repair a Torn ACL
Arthroscopy is often an excellent solution for performing ligament repair. If you have a partially or fully torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in your knee, your doctor can repair the tear arthroscopically. If the surgeon sees any other issues in the joint during the procedure, such as a bone spur or loose fragment, the doctor can repair or remove those as well.
Repair a Torn Rotator Cuff
Your rotator cuff consists of muscles and tendons in your shoulder that enable the shoulder to rotate. If you have one or more tears in the rotator cuff that are causing pain or disability in the shoulder, your doctor can perform arthroscopic surgery to repair the injury.
Fix a Dislocated Joint
If you have dislocated your shoulder, knee, finger, elbow, or hip, your orthopedic doctor can perform arthroscopy to reposition the bones in the joint without the need for making large incisions.
Repair Torn Cartilage
You have protective cartilage at the ends of your bones where they articulate around each other in a joint, but this cartilage can become damaged. A surgeon can often repair this issue via arthroscopy.
A common cartilage injury is a torn meniscus, which is a moon-shaped section of cartilage in the knee – and each knee has two menisci. A torn meniscus can usually be fixed via arthroscopic surgery.
Joint Repair Surgeons in Naples, FL
A skilled orthopedic surgeon can implement the minimally invasive method of arthroscopic surgery to diagnose and repair many types of joint injuries without the large scarring, extended recovery time, and hospital stay required of traditional open surgery. Here at the Joint Replacement Institute, we have many happy clients who have received successful joint repair and are now enjoying an active lifestyle once again.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation, contact our friendly staff today by calling us at (239) 261-2663 or by filling out our easy-to-use appointment request form online now. We look forward to serving you!
