
ARTHROSCOPY
Arthroscopyis a procedure for diagnosing and treating joint problems. A surgeon inserts a narrow tube attached to a fiber-optic video camera through a small incision — about the size of a buttonhole. The view inside your joint is transmitted to a high-definition video monitor.
Arthroscopy allows the surgeon to see inside your joint without making a large incision. Surgeons can even repair some types of joint damage during arthroscopy, with pencil-thin surgical instruments inserted through additional small incisions.
Why it's done
Doctors use arthroscopy to help diagnose and treat a variety of joint conditions, most commonly those affecting the:
· Knee
· Shoulder
· Elbow
· Ankle
· Hip
· Wrist
Diagnostic procedures
Doctors often turn to arthroscopy if X-rays and other imaging studies have left some diagnostic questions unanswered.
Surgical procedures
Conditions treated with arthroscopy include:
· Loose bone fragments
· Damaged or torn cartilage
· Inflamed joint linings
· Joint infections
· Torn ligaments
· Scarring within joints