Arthroscopy
The arthroscope is a small fiber-optic viewing instrument made up of a tiny lens, light source and video camera. The surgical instruments used in arthroscopic surgery are very small (only 3 or 4 mm in diameter), but appear much larger when viewed through an arthroscope.
The television camera attached to the arthroscope displays the image of the joint on a television screen, allowing the surgeon to look, for example, throughout the knee-at cartilage and ligaments, and under the kneecap. The surgeon can determine the amount or type of injury, and then do the repair.Usually, this procedure is performed on a patient under spinal or general anesthesia.
Often, Arthroscopic surgeries for sports injuries are used in blend with other methods or open surgeries. The most common condition, whereArthroscopysurgery is used, is to treat tendon tears in the knee. Other conditions include torn ligaments & cartilage, carpal tunnel syndrome, inflammation of joint lining, tears in rotator cuffs & loosening of cartilage and bones.
After the surgery, the cut will be sewed shut and dressed neatly. In most of the cases, patients need almost no pain medication as compared to the medication required to recover from open surgery.
Types of Arthroscopic Surgery
- Knee Arthroscopy
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Ankle Arthroscopy
- Elbow Arthroscopy
- Wrist Arthroscopy