Gone are the days when you had to undergo a knife to have your orthopedic doctor pinpoint the underlying cause of your joint problem and/or treat it.
Thanks to advances in orthopedic surgery, orthopedic surgeons can now makeone or two small incisions and use a device calledan arthroscopeto diagnosea wide range of joint problems and treat them through a process known as arthroscopy.
Let’s take a look at what knee arthroscopy is, why it is performed, and what knee conditions can be treated with the help of knee arthroscopy.
Knee Arthroscopy: What is It?
Knee arthroscopy is a very simple minimally invasive surgical procedure that involves the use of an arthroscope – a narrow tube attached to a fiber-optic video camera – to see the inside of the knee, eliminating the need to make a large incision.
Knee arthroscopy is also known as keyhole surgery, because for this surgery, the surgeon only needs to make a small one to two-inch cut to access the targeted area of the joint. After making an incision, the orthopedic doctor inserts a tiny camera through the incision, which shows the inside of the knee on a screen in the operating room. Should you need treatment for injuries or structural problems, your orthopedic surgeon can insert tools through another keyhole incision to repair or remove damaged tissues.
Why Is Knee Arthroscopy Performed?
Knee arthroscopy is used to do many things, such as:
Diagnose Injuries of The Knee
Knee arthroscopy allows your orthopedic surgeon to take a closer look at any swollen and painful areas of the knee. The camera of the arthroscope shows high-definition images of the damaged soft tissues and bones on the screen and helpsthe doctor make a diagnosis.
Remove Damaged or Swollen Tissues
Not only does knee arthroscopy allow your doctor to make a diagnosis, but it also enables them to shave off inflamed tissues and damaged bones or cartilage in one go.
Repair Damaged Bones and Soft tissues
During a knee arthroscopy, your orthopedic surgeon can use specially designed, tiny tools to repair and reconstruct soft tissues by stitching them together. Knee arthroscopy also allows bones to be sutured together.
What Knee Conditions Can Knee Arthroscopy Treat?
Knee conditions that can be treated using knee arthroscopy are:
- Soft tissue injuries, such as bursitis, meniscus tears, patellar tendonitis, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, and medial cruciate ligament (MCL) tears
- Fractures
- Inflammation of the synovium
Arthroscopic Knee Surgery in Bismarck, ND
To find out if you are a candidate for knee arthroscopy, visit us here at The Bone & Joint Center, where our board-certified orthopedic surgeons – Dr. Timothy J. Bopp andDr. Joe Carlson– are highly trained and experienced in performing arthroscopic knee surgery. Our orthopedic doctors use state-of-the-art equipment and procedures to ensure a lower risk of complication and a more comfortable and faster recovery.
If you would like to make an appointment with one of our knee arthroscopy experts, give us a call today at (701) 946-7400 / (866) 900-8650, or use our convenient online request form.
