Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that orthopedic surgeons at Summit Orthopedic Specialists use to see, diagnose and treat problems inside a joint. Summit offers the area’s only hip arthroscopy program and also performs other arthroscopic surgery procedures, including shoulder, knee and ankle.
In an arthroscopic examination, orthopedic surgeons make a small incision in the patient’s skin and insert pencil-sized instruments that contain a small lens and lighting system to view the structures inside the joint. The camera attached to the arthroscope displays an image of the joint on a TV screen. This enables the surgeon to determine what type of injury the patient has and then repair or correct the problem, if necessary.
Although arthroscopy still requires the use of anesthetics and is performed in a hospital operating room, it is much easier to recover from than traditional open surgery.
Arthroscopy was initially used as a diagnostic tool for planning traditional open surgery. With advances in arthroscopy instruments and surgical techniques, many conditions can now be treated arthroscopically.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call Summit Orthopedic Specialists at (916) 965-4000.
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