Arthroscopy

What is arthroscopy?

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgery that the team at Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine uses to visually examine, diagnose, and treat problems inside your joint. The word “arthroscopy” is derived from two Greek words meaning “to see (within) the joint.”

This procedure uses a pencil-thin, flexible instrument called an arthroscope. The arthroscope has a small light and camera at the end. Your surgeon at Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine inserts the arthroscope through a tiny, buttonhole-sized incision and then views magnified images of the inside of your joint on a monitor.

If they detect a problem in your joint, your surgeon can then insert miniature surgical instruments through one or more additional incisions. These small incisions, called ports, are much smaller than those required by open surgery so you experience less scarring, less pain, and a faster recovery.

Why would I need arthroscopy?

The highly trained team at Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine uses arthroscopy to diagnose and treat many joint problems. They can recommend arthroscopy if you have joint pain that doesn’t resolve with conservative treatments like medication and physical therapy.

The surgeons at Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine use arthroscopy to examine and treat problems in the following joints:

• Knee
• Hip
• Shoulder
• Elbow
• Ankle

Arthroscopy is an effective, minimally invasive alternative to open surgery for many orthopedic conditions like meniscus tears in the knee and rotator cuff tears in the shoulder.

What should I expect from an arthroscopic procedure?

First, your provider at Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine reviews your symptoms and medical history and performs a comprehensive physical exam to make sure arthroscopy is right for you. Certain procedures like total joint replacement require open surgery for optimal safety and effectiveness.

Arthroscopic surgery requires a general, regional, or local anesthetic. Your surgeon discusses which type is best for you before the procedure. The surgeons at Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine usually perform arthroscopy on an outpatient basis, so you can avoid a hospital stay.

Although arthroscopy is minimally invasive, you should still plan to take time to recover. The length of your recovery depends on your specific joint condition. Your provider at Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine will work with you to develop a rehabilitation plan to follow after your surgery.

To learn more about arthroscopy, call Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine or book an appointment online today.