Arthroscopic Surgery: Minimally invasive. Majorly beneficial.

From bursitis and plantar fasciitis to spinal stenosis and avascular necrosis, trying to understand orthopedic terminology may feel overwhelming­—but it doesn’t need to be. One such seemingly complicated term is “arthroscopic” surgery. Translated from its Greek origins of “arthro” and “skopein,” it literally means “to look within the joint.” Now that we’ve simplified the word, let’s take a closer look at the actual procedure.

What is arthroscopic surgery?

A minimally invasive procedure Orlin & Cohen subspecialists use to treat issues within a joint. It’s performed in either a hospital or an outpatient center on a case-by-case basis.

When is it used?

Arthroscopic surgery can be used to diagnose and even treat a variety of orthopedic issues, including rotator cuff and meniscus tears and injuries affecting the foot and ankle, knee, hand and upper extremities, shoulder, elbow and more.

How is it performed?

Depending on the joint and issues being treated, patients may be put under general anesthesia and sleep during the procedure, or have the area numbed while they remain awake. The surgeon will then make a very small incision and insert a small camera called the arthroscope, which is an instrument the size of a pencil, to see inside the joint.  The surgeon then inserts instruments through other small incisions to fix any problems.

What are the benefits?

By utilizing a small instrument that is attached to a television, surgeons can diagnose and treat patients without making a large incision that could result in scarring and increased recovery time.

What’s recovery like?

Many patients require little or no pain medication following the procedure and the incision will usually heal in less than a week. Patients often return to school or work within days of the procedure (depending on their doctor’s recommendation) and enjoy a full recovery within several weeks or months, depending on how much work was done in the joint.

Every Orlin & Cohen orthopedic surgeon specializes in the latest in minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques so our patients heal faster and experience less pain. Are you interested in learning more? Contact the board-certified subspecialists at the Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group today to find out if arthroscopic surgery is the right answer to your joint pain.