What is Arthroscopy?

Understanding Arthroscopic Surgery

Arthroscopy is an advanced minimally invasive orthopedic procedure where a pencil-sized camera and specialized instruments are introduced into the joint space through miniature 4-5 mm portal incisions. It is widely employed in knee, shoulder, hip, ankle, and wrist joints to diagnose and repair intra-articular injuries.

Key Clinical Benefits Over Open Surgery

Compared to traditional open procedures, arthroscopy preserves surrounding musculature and periarticular soft tissues. Consequently, patients experience substantially lower post-operative pain, minimized surgical infection risks, negligible scarring, and expedited functional recovery.

Common Pathologies Treated via Arthroscopy

• Meniscal repair and partial meniscectomy
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and PCL reconstructions
• Articular cartilage microfracture and chondral transplantation
• Shoulder labral tear repairs (Bankart, SLAP lesions) and rotator cuff repairs
• Removal of intra-articular loose bodies (joint mice)

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly can a patient walk after knee arthroscopy?

Most patients are mobilized with partial weight-bearing on the day of surgery or the following morning, depending on whether ligamentous reconstruction was performed.

Is arthroscopy performed under general anesthesia?

Arthroscopy can be conducted under general, spinal, or targeted regional nerve blocks depending on the joint operated and patient medical profile.