Arthroscopic

Arthroscopic is a surgical procedure doctors use to look at, diagnose, and treat problems inside a joint.

Your doctor may recommend it if you have inflammation in a joint, have injured a joint, or have damaged a joint over time. You can have arthroscopy on any joint. Most often, it’s done on the knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle, hip, or wrist.

What Happens During the Procedure?

Your doctor will perform arthroscopic surgery in a hospital or outpatient operating room. That means you can go home the same day. The type of anesthesia you’ll receive depends on the joint and what your surgeon suspects is the problem. It may be general anesthesia (you’ll be asleep during surgery), or your doctor will give it to you through your spine. He might also numb the area he’s doing the surgery on.

Your doctor will insert special pencil-thin instruments through a small cut (incision) the size of a buttonhole. He’ll use a tool called an arthroscope that has a camera lens and a light. It allows him to see inside the joint. The camera projects an image of the joint onto a screen. The surgeon will fill the joint with sterile fluid to widen it so it’s easier to see.

If your surgeon decides you need traditional, “open” surgery to fix the problem, he may do it at the same time as your arthroscopic surgery.

Afterward, he’ll remove the arthroscope and any attachments. He’ll close the wound with special tape or stitches.

What About Recovery?

You may have some pain in the joint after surgery. Your doctor may prescribe pain medication. He might also prescribe aspirin or other medication to prevent blood clots.

You may need crutches, a splint, or a sling for support as you recover.