Why Arthroscopic Surgery Might Be the Answer to Your Joint Issue

Arthroscopic surgery, or arthroscopy, is a surgical procedure that allows an orthopedic surgeon to examine, diagnose, and possibly treat a joint problem. It’s a minor surgery that can be used on any joint but is most commonly used on knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, and wrists. 

This surgery is considered commonplace, and it replaces the need for more invasive or exploratory procedures. 

If you’ve been having issues with your joints — whether they’re acute or chronic — arthroscopic surgery can get to the bottom of it and help our team at The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre diagnose and treat your joint problem. 

In this month’s blog, we discuss more about what arthroscopic surgery is and what to expect from the procedure.

When is arthroscopic surgery necessary?

Your bones, ligaments, cartilage, tendons, and muscles that make up your joints can all be damaged by acute injuries or chronic diseases. 

To diagnose what’s ailing your joints, our team utilizes a variety of diagnostic techniques. We ask about your symptoms and medical history, perform a physical exam, and order imaging tests such as X-rays, MRIs, or CTs. The next step is arthroscopic surgery to understand the extent of the joint damage and repair it. 

Arthroscopic surgery is commonly used for the following joint-related conditions:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
• Meniscal tears
• Shoulder impingement and dislocated shoulder
• Rotator cuff tears
• Carpal tunnel syndrome and wrist arthritis 
• Foot and ankle arthritis 

Sometimes, we use a combination of arthroscopic surgery and open surgery to repair the damage, depending on how severe it is. 

What happens during arthroscopic surgery?

Even though arthroscopic surgery is less invasive than open surgery, it still requires anesthesia and special medical instruments in a hospital setting. 

We begin by making a small incision — about the size of a buttonhole — and then insert the arthroscope. Other incisions may be necessary later on if we need to use additional instruments or see other areas of the joint. 

The arthroscope allows us to see the damaged joint up close so we can precisely use the additional medical instruments to cut, grind, grasp, or provide suction to repair the parts of the joint. 

Once we’ve repaired the damage, we stitch up the incision sites and cover them with a surgical dressing. Because arthroscopic surgery is so minimally invasive, you shouldn’t experience much discomfort during the recovery period. 

If you’d like to be considered for arthroscopic surgery for your joint issue, schedule an appointment by calling our office or booking online today. We proudly serve The Woodlands, Texas, area.