Click to Zoom - Photo Courtesy of Orthoweb.com

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure which has diagnostic as well as therapeutic merits. It is often useful for patients whose symptoms may be attributed to a specific mechanical problem, such as torn cartilage or a loose body in the joint. Arthroscopy can also be used for removal of an inflamed joint lining (synovectomy). This may be particularly valuable for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, hemophillic arthropathy, or pigmented villonodular synovitis. In addition, new techniques now permit repair of various structures, particularly in the knee and shoulder. In selected patients, cartilage may even be harvested and grown for re-implantation later.

The arthroscope is approximately 4 to 5 mm in diameter. It utilizes a fiberoptic tube and a series of lenses to produce a very high resolution image of the joint on a television screen. This tube is inserted into the joint through a small incision. A second incision is made through which a variety of arthroscopic tools may be inserted. These tools permit many different tasks to be performed, including grasping and removing a loose body, sewing a torn structure, or smoothing out an area of roughened cartilage. A third incision may be required to permit better fluid flow through the joint.

Arthroscopy may be performed with general anesthesia (going to sleep), regional anesthesia (a spinal or epidural block) or, in selected cases, with local anesthesia. Most arthroscopy is performed as an outpatient. The incisions are so small that they typically require only one stitch, if any.