Advanced Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Institute > Procedures > Arthroscopic Surgery

Arthroscopic Surgery

Do you suffer from chronic joint pain? If you maintain an active lifestyle, some joint pain may be the result of torn or damaged tissue. In these cases, arthroscopic surgery may provide significant relief from joint pain. Arthroscopy at Advanced Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Institute is a minimally invasive, effective treatment for a wide range of joint disorders. Arthroscopic surgery is also one of the most common surgeries in the US, with thousands of procedures performed each year. 

Several procedures may combine arthroscopic and standard surgery:

  • Rotator cuff surgery
  • Repair or resection of torn cartilage (meniscus) from knee or shoulder
  • Reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament in knee
  • Removal of inflamed lining (synovium) in knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist, ankle
  • Release of carpal tunnel
  • Repair of torn ligaments
  • Removal of loose bone or cartilage in knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle, wrist.

In an arthroscopic examination, an orthopaedic surgeon makes a small incision in the patient’s skin and then inserts pencil-sized instruments that contain a small lens and lighting system to magnify and illuminate the structures inside the joint. Light is transmitted through fiber optics to the end of the arthroscope that is inserted into the joint.  By attaching the arthroscope to a miniature television camera, the surgeon is able to see the interior of the joint through this very small incision rather than a large incision needed for surgery. The television camera attached to the arthroscope displays the image of the joint on a television screen, allowing the surgeon to look throughout the knee. This lets the surgeon see the cartilage, ligaments, and under the kneecap. The surgeon can determine the amount or type of injury and then repair or correct the problem, if it is necessary.

Disease and injuries can damage bones, cartilage, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Some of the most frequent conditions found during arthroscopic examinations of joints are:

Inflammation

  • redness and swelling of the joint lining causing pain and stiffness. This can be removed arthroscopically by using small cutting tools through the small key holes. This operation is call a synovectomy.

Acute or Chronic Injury

  • Shoulder: Rotator cuff tendon tears, impingement syndrome, and recurrent dislocations
  • Knee: Meniscal (cartilage) tears, chondromalacia (wearing or injury of cartilage cushion), and anterior cruciate ligament tears with instability
  • Wrist: Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Loose bodies of bone and/or cartilage: for example, knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle, or wrist