What is Arthroscopy?

1. Arthroscopy

2. What is Arthroscopy? • Arthroscopy is 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. • 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.

3. What is Arthroscopy for? • It is recommended if you have inflammation in a joint, injured a joint, or have damaged a joint over time. • Arthroscopy can be done on any joint. Most often, it’s done on the knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle , hip, or wrist.

4. Knee Ligament There are 4 major ligaments in the knee. The ligaments in the knee connect the femur (thighbone) to the tibia (shin bone), and include the following: • Anterior Cruciate ligament (ACL)-The ACL is often stretched and/or torn during a sudden twisting motion (when the feet stay planted one way, but the knees turn the other way) • Posterior Cruciate ligament (PCL)-the PCL injury usually happens with sudden, direct impact, such as in a car accident or during a football tackle. • Medial collateral ligament (MCL)- Stretch and tear injuries to the collateral ligaments are usually caused by a blow to the outer side of the knee, such as when playing hockey or football. • Lateral collateral ligament (LCL). Stretch and tear injuries to the collateral ligaments are usually caused by a blow to the outer side of the knee, such as when playing hockey or football

5. Knee Meniscuss • A torn meniscus occurs because of trauma caused by forceful twisting or hyper-flexing of the knee joint. • Symptoms of a torn meniscus include knee pain, swelling, popping, and giving way. • The treatment of a meniscus tear depends on its severity, location, and underlying disease within the knee joint.

6. Types of meniscus tear • Longitudinal tear: vertical tear with a longitudinal direction in the meniscus, usually located in the periphery of the meniscus. The longer the tear the unstable it is. • Horizontal tear: horizontal cleavage in the meniscal tissue • Radial tear: vertical tear starting in the free margin of the meniscal tissue.

7. Shoulder Arthroscopy • Shoulder arthroscopy is surgery that uses a tiny camera called an arthro-scope to examine or repair the tissues inside or around the shoulder joint. The arthro-scope is inserted through a small cut (incision) into the skin. Indications • Diagnostic surgery • Loose body removal • Rotator cuff repair or debridement • Labral/SLAP and instability repair • Subacromial decompression • AC joint pathology • Distal clavicle resection • Release of suprascapular nerve entrapment • Release of scar tissue/contractures • Synovectomy • Biceps tenotomy/tenodesis

8. What is the procedure of arthroscopy? • A special pencil-thin instrument is inserted through a small cut (incision) the size of a buttonhole. The arthroscopic tool used has a camera lens and a light. It allows them 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. • The surgeon will look inside the joint, diagnose the problem, and decide what type of surgery is needed, if necessary. If there is a need to perform surgery, your surgeon will insert special tools through other small incisions called portals. They’ll use them to cut, shave, grasp, and anchor stitches into bone.

9. How long is the recovery period? • The surgical incisions made during the surgery are small. There are some small puncture wounds where the arthroscopic tools went inside your body. The day after surgery, you may be able to remove the surgical bandages and replace them with small strips to cover the incisions. The doctor will remove non dissolvable stitches after a week or 2. • While the wounds heal, you’ll have to keep the site as dry as possible which means covering them with a plastic bag when you take a shower. • Full joint recovery typically takes several weeks. It may take several months to get back to normal. • Rehabilitation or specific exercises can help speed your recovery. Your doctor will tell you which ones are safe to do.