Arthroscopic Surgery

What is an Arthroscopy?

When orthopedic surgery is necessary, you want an experienced surgeon who is specially trained in minimally invasive procedures. The orthopedic surgeons at Tri County Orthopedics in Farmington Hills, Michigan, are highly skilled in arthroscopic surgery.

Performed on an outpatient basis, arthroscopic surgery (or arthroscopy) involves examining the internal structure of an affected joint using a tube-like viewing instrument called an arthroscope.

First, your doctor numbs the area of the joint being examined – either the shoulder, the knee, or elsewhere – and provides some medication to help you relax.

Next, the doctor inserts the arthroscope through a tiny incision in the skin. An arthroscope contains optical fibers and lenses, and it is equipped with a video camera that enables the doctor to view the interior of the joint on a television monitor. The physician can therefore see the extent of the damage in the joint, such as joint degeneration due to arthritis.

Often, joint injuries can be repaired right then and there during this procedure, without requiring a second surgery. Take, for example, a knee debridement and lavage, which involves removing loose pieces of cartilage and bone that are causing joint irritation. During arthroscopic surgery, the doctor can trim and smooth out any damaged cartilage (a common source of noninflammatory degenerative arthritis, or osteoarthritis), remove inflamed tissue, or flush the joint with saline to get rid of materials that are causing irritation and swelling.

Arthroscopic Knee and Shoulder Surgery

At Tri County Orthopedics, our surgeons use arthroscopy to treat a wide variety of joint problems, including:

• Rotator cuff (shoulder) injury
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury
• MUA (knee manipulation under anesthesia) to treat stiffness
• Meniscus tear (knee cartilage) 

Arthroscopy is also used in special procedures such as:

• Lateral retinacular release (kneecap repair)
• Chondroplasty (correcting knee cartilage)
• SLAP lesion repair (torn labrum in the shoulder)

Because arthroscopic surgery is minimally invasive, it results in less pain and less postoperative swelling than invasive surgery. You heal more quickly, begin your rehabilitation sooner, and can return to normal activity earlier.

State-of-the-Art Arthroscopic Surgery in Farmington Hills, Michigan

To learn more about arthroscopic surgery and whether it is a viable treatment option for your joint pain, contact Tri County Orthopedics at (248) 474-5575 to schedule a consultation with one of our orthopedic surgeons. Or simply request an appointment using our online form.